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sliced hard-boiled eggs
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Perfectly Cooked Hard Boiled Eggs

This foolproof method for making perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs will give you eggs that peel easily and don't have that gray sulfur ring!
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 12 eggs
Calories 63kcal
Author Amee
Cost $3

Equipment

  • Large cooking pot

Ingredients

  • 12 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

  • Place eggs in a large, empty pot.  Cover with cold water going about an inch above the eggs. 
  • Add salt and baking soda and bring pot to a full, rolling boil over medium-high heat.  As soon as the water gets to a full boil, turn off the heat (if it’s a gas stove, leave pot on the burner, if it’s electric then move it off of the hot burner to cool).  Cover with a lid and set a timer for 10 minutes.  
  • Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water.  
  • As soon as the timer goes off, transfer eggs to the ice bath and allow them to sit for about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a sealed container (can be stored peeled or unpeeled) and keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.  

Notes

More Tips:
    • Start with room-temperature eggs. If you take the eggs out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking, they tend to cook more evenly.
    • Do not overcrowd the pot. The pot must have the capacity for the number of eggs you’re cooking to float freely as the water starts to boil.
    • Use older eggs. Slightly older eggs (around 1-2 weeks old) are often easier to peel after boiling than fresher ones.
    • Poke a tiny hole in the eggshell. Another trick is piercing the bottom of the shell (the wider end) with a sanitized needle before boiling to help the shell separate when peeling.
    • Add vinegar to the water. Adding a splash of vinegar to the boiling water can help prevent cracking and make the eggs easier to peel. If a crack occurs, the vinegar helps coagulate the egg whites before they leak from the shell.
    • Control the heat and set a timer. Start the eggs in cool water. Once the water reaches a full, rolling boil, remove the pot from the heat and leave it for 10 minutes. If you have a gas stove, turn the range off, but leave the pot on the burner. 
    • Do NOT skip the ice bath! Immediately plunging the eggs into an ice bath stops the cooking process. Shocking the eggs this way helps create a small gap between the egg white and the shell, making them easier to peel. 
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Nutrition

Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 62mg | Potassium: 61mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 238IU | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg