Hard boiled eggs are great for breakfast; in fact, they can be added to a lot of recipes to add some great taste to your meals. We have some tips on making the perfect hard-boiled egg and how to peel it right. Making hard boiled eggs over the weekend and then using them for the rest of the week is a great snacking alternative.
How to cook hard boil eggs perfectly?
- To cook the perfect hard boiled eggs, place eggs in a pan which is large enough to hold the eggs in a single layer. Add cold water to the pan and cover the eggs with the water. Make sure the eggs are submerged in water by an inch. Now heat the pan over high heat till the water reaches boiling point. Now remove the pan from the burner and cover it. Let the eggs stand in water for around 12 minutes. Now drain the water and serve them warm. You can also cool the eggs completely and store them in the refrigerator.
- When boiling eggs are in a pan of water, make sure that you bring the water to full boil and then remove the pan from the heat so that the eggs can continue to boil gently in the hot water. This ensures that you get eggs that are tender instead of rubbery eggs. This method also minimizes cracking of the eggs and gives you perfect hard boiled eggs.
- If you are not fond of the greenish ring around your egg then there is a way to avoid it. The discoloration is harmless but if you do not like the look of the yolk then cook the eggs in hot water and cool them immediately to avoid the discoloration. The greenish ring is formed because of a reaction between sulphur which is present in the egg white and iron in the egg yolk. The reaction occurs when eggs are cooked for too long or at very high temperature.
How to peel hard boiled eggs perfectly?
So now that we know how to hard-boil eggs perfectly, let us look at the tips that will help us peel them right. To begin with, let us understand why it is so difficult to peel hard-boiled eggs. Harold McGee in On Food and Cooking advises that the white albumen in white eggs has a lower pH level. When the eggs are being cooked, they bond more strongly with the inner shell membrane. As a result it becomes difficult for us to peel a hard-boiled egg. However, when the egg has been refrigerated, the pH level of the egg increases and it is easier to peel it.
For those who wish to have freshly hard-boiled eggs, it is best to add some baking soda to the water. This raises the pH level of the white albumen.
Hard boiled eggs are best peeled after cooling because the membrane has contracted slightly and does not stick to the shell. To peel the egg, gently tap the egg on the countertop of your kitchen till the egg is cracked all over. Now begin peeling the egg from the large end.
Also, try to peel the egg under cold running water, this helps ease the shell off without peeling away a significant part of the white albumen as well.
How to store hard boiled eggs?
Hard boiled eggs can be stored in the shell for a week in the refrigerator. When refrigerating eggs, it is best to store them in their original carton. This prevents odor absorption. It is also recommended to keep smelly food in airtight containers so that the eggs do not absorb the flavors. It is best to keep onion and cheese in air-tight containers if you re storing eggs in the refrigerator.
Once you peel the eggs, it is recommended to consume them immediately. However, if you are planning to store peeled eggs then put them in a bowl of water and put it in the refrigerator. Remember to change the water every day. Alternatively, you can also put the eggs in a sealed container and cover the eggs with damp paper towel. This method does not involve keeping the eggs in water.
What precautions should you take when hard boiling eggs?
While you may come across this technique quite a few times, it is not recommended to pierce the egg shells before boiling the eggs. If the needle or the piercer you are using is not sterile, then you will end up introducing bacteria into the egg. Piercing the egg can also create hairline cracks in the shell. Bacteria can enter the egg through these cracks after cooking.
Also remember not to microwave eggs with the shells. The technology used in microwaves creates too much steam inside the egg shells which results in the egg shells exploding in the microwave. It can cause serious damage to the machine and may lead to injury for those who are near the microwave as well.
Once you start following these tips, it will be easy to hard boil eggs and you may start doing it perfectly without thinking that you are following these steps. It will come naturally after a while. The steps are simple and they do not require special ingredients either. Now that you also understand the reasons why hard-boiled eggs are difficult to peel, you will be able to peel them more easily now.
Storing hard-boiled eggs is simple too. Try to store them with the shells instead of peeling them because it is more preferable to store shelled eggs. Remember that you take the precautions that we have mentioned so that you enjoy hard boiled eggs without putting yourself at a health risk. Also, check out our spaghetti squash recipe ideas to stay slim and healthy.
FAQ: Hard Boiled Eggs
Is 5 minutes long enough to hard boil an egg?
Fill a pot halfway with water, add a steamer basket, and heat until the water boils. Place eggs in the basket with care, cover the kettle, and steam for 5–7 minutes for a soft-boiled egg or 15 minutes for a hard-boiled egg.
How long is best to boil an egg?
Bring the water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Turn off the heat and cover the pot with the lid once the water has reached a rolling boil.Leave the eggs in the boiling water for the following amounts of time, depending on how done you want them:
- SOFT boiled eggs – 5 minutes.
- MEDIUM cooked eggs – 7 minutes.
- HARD boiled eggs – 15 minutes.
Why salt is added to boiling eggs?
In hot, salty water, egg white solidifies faster than it does in fresh water. If your egg springs a leak while cooking, a bit of salt in the water can help to limit the mess. When the egg white comes into contact with salt water, it hardens, sealing the break and preventing the egg from spewing a spray of white.
