Eggsasperated by hardboiled eggs

[Lost Dog]

After boiling up 24 eggs last week and having to eat them with a spoon since they wouldn't peel, I decided to do it right, this time.

They still suck. They won't peel without tons of the white coming off with the shell. I'm frustrated and pissed.

The Perfect Hard Boiled Egg

Recipe By : Julia Child, “The Way to Cook”
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:40
Categories : Cheese/Eggs Family Recipes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
For 1-4 Eggs:
1 to 4 Eggs
2 quarts water -- * see note
For 12 Eggs:
12 Eggs
3 1/2 quarts water -- * see note
For 24 Eggs:
24 Eggs
6 quarts water -- * see note
Special Equipment_____________________ ____
High (not wide) Saucepan with cover
Bowl w/ice cubes & water (large enough to
completely cover eggs)

*note: water should cover the eggs by 1 inch, so use a tall pan, and limit
cooking to 2 dozen eggs at a time.

1. Lay the eggs in the pan and add the amount of cold water specified. Set
over high heat and bring just to the boil; remove from heat, cover the pan,
and let sit exactly 17 minutes.

2. When the time is up, transfer the eggs to the bowl of ice cubes and
water. Chill for 2 minutes while bringing the cooking water to the boil
again. (This 2 minute chilling shrinks the body of the egg from the shell.)

3. Transfer the eggs (6 at a time only) to the boiling water, bring to the
boil again, and let boil for 10 seconds - this expands the shell from the
egg. Remove eggs, and place back into the ice water.


Chilling the eggs promptly after each step prevents that dark line from
forming, and if time allows, leave the eggs in the ice water after the last
step for 15 to 20 minutes. Chilled eggs are easier to peel, as well.

The peeled eggs will keep perfectly in the refrigerator, submerged in water
in an uncovered container, for 2 to 3 days.

It's true that the yolk is perfect. Unfortunately, deviled eggs look less-than-perfect when the white looks more like the surface of the moon or WC Field's nose.

After all that work, the first dozen peeled for [eggspative deleted]. I put the rest in the fridge, as is, resigned to yet another week of egg salad or eating my eggs with spoon, right out of the shell.

I have vivid memories of my Easter Eggs peeling so easily. Helping my mom and grandma peel eggs to make Deviled Eggs for the holidays... However, they're both dead now and took the secret with them.

If someone has a grandma that they could ask, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks!

Yours truly,

Roland

[RobLL]

emergency plan for boiled eggs that won't peel: John Belushi style, use a french knife and karate chop them in two, remove with a spoon. While that is not the normal plane for bisecting them it usually is fairly neat, and you can remove the yolk halves quite easily. I have found it a little hard to bisect them as evenly as I like, but that is part of the challenge.

[Susan4]

We used to raise a few chickens and found that while farm eggs are far and away superior to battery raised eggs, they are so fresh that there is no air space between the shell and the internal membrane so they don't peel at all when hard boiled. Eggs can last a very long time in your fridge, age a couple dozen for a week or so after purchase and try with those. If you are concerned about spoilage, see if they float or nearly float before using, if so, discard. The two boilings sounds overdone to me, just one should do it, cool in the ice bath then peel under running water.

[Mark57]

I get farm eggs from someone at work, so if I want hard boiled eggs I buy a dozen from the grocery. I gave up trying to peel farm eggs a long time ago.

What I do is put the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water (the lady I get fresh eggs from says add 3/4 cup of salt to the water and they will peel easy, I haven't tried that yet). Bring the pot to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water, or put in ice water, then into the fridge.

I don't believe in the double boil thing, but I do know that the faster you can cool them the better chance you'll have of peeling them.

[Lost Dog]

Thanks, peeps (egg pun intended)!

They are grocery store eggs, but they are from TJ's. Maybe that makes them fresher than ideal. I'll try aging some. Not really afraid of spoilage.

I thought the 17 minutes, chill, quick boil again, seemed excessive, but I figured there was nothing to lose but time.

I've tried 10 minutes of simmering, straight to ice water, try to peel, fail. Sad for me?

Rob, that's about what I do. Cut the egg in half and eat with a spoon. It's really not very satisfying. Do you mean to cut them and remove them from the shell with a spoon. Like to use for deviled eggs? I haven't tried that.

[RacerBill]

Susan's got it -- the older the eggs, the easier they'll be to peel when you hard-boil them. Eggs usually last for about a month to six weeks in the fridge, so check the dates on the carton. Best time to boil them is AFTER the "sell-by" date. No, they're not rotten by then.

[missjane]

Well, it just so happens I hardboiled a dozen today for egg salad:

Put eggs in pan, bring to boil, cover and turn off heat and let sit for 30 minutes. Take to sink and run cold water in the pan for a few minutes. Then, I peeled them with no problem....slipped right off. That's how I always do it.

[mrroach]

One method that I have found works well with the really tough membrane-having eggs is to gently tap it so that the entire shell is covered with cracks. Then squeeze(gently) and roll it between your palms for 15-20 seconds. This will hopefully loosen up the membrane that the shell is so glued to.

Hopefully at this point you can find the "bubble" spot on the egg; the flat part where there was space between the egg white and the shell. This is the place to start peeling.

I think I got this idea from Alton Brown.

-Mark

[RobLL]

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

Thanks, peeps (egg pun intended)!

They are grocery store eggs, but they are from TJ's. Maybe that makes them fresher than ideal. I'll try aging some. Not really afraid of spoilage.

I thought the 17 minutes, chill, quick boil again, seemed excessive, but I figured there was nothing to lose but time.

I've tried 10 minutes of simmering, straight to ice water, try to peel, fail. Sad for me?

Rob, that's about what I do. Cut the egg in half and eat with a spoon. It's really not very satisfying. Do you mean to cut them and remove them from the shell with a spoon. Like to use for deviled eggs? I haven't tried that.

Right. My real problem with deviled eggs is how many I can eat.

[jesca]

Vinegar!
I have always heard that adding a tablespoon of vinegar to the water when you are boiling eggs will help them peel easier. That and soaking them in cold water as soon as you are done cooking them. I'm going to be making some tonight, so we'll see if that helps!

[goldpaws]

I'm gonna pipe in here with my method of making hard boiled eggs. The yolks remain yellow this way (not that puky green color) although I give a couple of yolks to my dogs and then throw out the rest. (I refill my egg whites with hummus...love this)
I also get my eggs from Trade Joe's.
Put eggs in pan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Once the pot is at a full boil I boil for 3 minutes, turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 18 minutes, run eggs under cold water and immediately peel them while still warm. If I am lazy and put them in the fridge and try to peel them when they're cold I lose about half the whites!

[Lost Dog]

Thanks. I'm getting ready to make more. I'm going for smaller batches until I get this down.

BTW, my kids don't eat the yolks of hardcooked eggs. I save them and toss them into salads. They're the best part.

[Mad Mel]

I found a no-peel way to cook them in the microwave but I haven't executed it perfectly yet, I think it's because my microwave is higher than normal, overkill wattage. I'm experimenting with my wattage & power to get it right, but here goes if you want to experiment for yourself...

I got this idea from another Tupperware lady. The Rock 'N Serve is a freezable/microwavable container that's great for leftovers and OAMC. Since the small 1 cup container is less available I use the medium shallow. I don't know how well a normal container like Pyrex or something would work but I'm just throwing the idea out here if you want to experiment with it.

“Square” Hard “Boiled” Eggs
1 egg:
In Small Rock ‘N Serve crack 1 egg; gently poke holes in yellow
and white. Cover & microwave at 50% power for 75 sec. Let stand
for 2 min.
4 eggs:
Use Medium Shallow Rock ‘N Serve, microwave at 50% for 5 min.
let stand for 5 min.
Chop and use as you would hard boiled eggs – but no peeling!!

[dillytl]

Originally Posted by jesca

Vinegar!
I have always heard that adding a tablespoon of vinegar to the water when you are boiling eggs will help them peel easier. That and soaking them in cold water as soon as you are done cooking them. I'm going to be making some tonight, so we'll see if that helps!

Ditto on the vinegar - we do that, and 9 times outta 10, we get easy-to-peel eggies!!!


Here's a "recipe" from Better Homes and Garden's cookbook (per grandma!) - this is the one we follow, only we add 1 TBLS vinegar.

1. Place eggs in single layer in saucepan. Add enough cold water to come 1 inch above eggs. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat so water is just below simmering. Cover and cook for 15 mins; drain.
2. Run cold water over eggs or place them in ice water.
3. To peel eggs, gently tap each egg on the counter. Roll the egg between the palms of your hands. Peel off eggshell, starting at the large end.

[missjane]

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

Thanks. I'm getting ready to make more. I'm going for smaller batches until I get this down.

BTW, my kids don't eat the yolks of hardcooked eggs. I save them and toss them into salads. They're the best part.

I must have really been concerned for you and your eggs. I am assuming I must have read this post shortly before going to bed because I dreamt I ran into you at a gas station and asked you how your eggs turned out. Wonder if I was in CA or you were in OH?! Weird!

[Lost Dog]

You must have been in CA, cuz who the heck would go to Ohio at this time of year?

[Kelliot]

What has worked for me in the past with peeling eggs is the following...
Take them out of the hot water and put into bowl with really cold water and ice mixed in. Then after about 6 seconds return to the hot water....then back to the cold water after couple secs.