From GoodEgg.com for those who need to know:
“Extremely fresh eggs will not peel easily. In fact, an egg that is just a day or two old is almost impossible to peel. As eggs age, the shells will peel more easily. It is advisable that eggs used for hard cooking (including Easter Eggs) be at least 2 weeks old before cooking for easiest peeling. Hard cooked eggs that are cooked slowly over low heat (and not ‘boiled’) will be more difficult to peel.
Directions
1. Place eggs in a saucepan with enough COLD tap water to cover completely by 1 inch. Bring to a ROLLING boil over HIGH heat. Once the water is brought to a rolling boil, PROMPTLY reduce heat to a lower medium boil and cook an additional 10 minutes for a “hard boiled†egg. For a “soft boiled†egg reduce the time by a few minutes.2. Remove from heat and IMMEDIATELY place eggs under ice cold water or in a bowl of ICED water to chill promptly to help yolks stay bright yellow. Chill for a few minutes in the cold water until the egg is completely cooled. This is an extremely important step which prevents the greenish “ring†from forming on the surface of the yolk over time. If the egg is not chilled immediately after cooking an unsightly dark greenish ring will eventually appear on the outside of the yolk.”
I put the eggs in water to cover, bring to a boil, and turn the heat OFF and leave in hot water for 20 minutes. They never break that way.
Peel while still hot.
Mark,
I’ll see what I can do. 😉
SG,
That sounds like an eggciting story. Sorry, couldn’t help myself. 😉
Shayna, for the Seder, you can literally roast an egg, but first, you have to wrap it in aluminum foil!
This is the sort of info that needs to go in my file of “Things my mother never taught me but I still need to know.” 🙂 I’ve actually never had a problem peeling the eggs that come out of my tcholent, after they’ve slow cooked for 20 hours or so. I wonder what I’m doing right.
Someday maybe I’ll share my experience in how NOT to make the roasted egg for a Pesach seder… I had to start my kitchen cleaning all over again. 🙁
“I can make a raw egg spin.”
On it’s end??? I’d have to see it to believe it.
;o)>
Judi,
Works for me.
Benning,
A push pin. I’ll have to try that.
Mark,
I can make a raw egg spin.
Mom,
Peeling the egg is always the rub.
Chosha,
Here at the Shack we strive to be thorough in all things.
Sweet,
Keep us posted on your progress. 😉
you know this actually is great info. I always screw up my boiled eggs.
Good timing for me since my daughter just today ask for me to make them. I must go and try this out right now.
Wow that was…thorough. I can see an experiment in my future where I am comparing a bright yellow yolk to a greenish-coated one.
judi: agreed. Free-range is the only way to go. Eggs are one of the few items where I don’t compare prices. Cage eggs might be cheaper, but I’ll just feel guilty eating them. And guilt never tastes good, even with salt.
But what about the actual peeling of the eggs? I struggled with that for years until I watched my mother-in-law prepare hard boiled eggs. Eight out ten of my eggs would be in pieces by the time I finished peeling them. Not pretty for deviled eggs. I learned that after they are cool enough to handle to put them in the dry pot (or pan), spread my hand over the top and bounce the eggs for about 10 seconds so they crack all over. Cracking them one at a time on a counter top just isn’t the same. I lose maybe one egg out of ten with the bouncing method. Sometimes half a shell will peel off in a spiral fashion.
Of course, boiled eggs are easier to use in egg tosses as well!
But seriously, I might add, to distinguish your HB eggs from your raw ones (if they get mixed up), spin it on end. A HB egg will spin like a top, a raw one will not spin at all.
I use older eggs. But I also use a push pin to puncture the fat end of the egg before putting it into water. That allows the gasses to escape and water to flow under the shell to ease the peeling process.
And always use eggs from cage-free farms. Happier chickens make tastier eggs. Or at least I prefer to believe they do. 🙂