Want a perfect hard-boiled egg?

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The trick is, don't boil it. This method will work for as many eggs as you need, provided the pot is big enough to not be crowded. Put the eggs in the pot and cover with cold water. Add a somewhat generous amount of salt (makes them easier to peel, usually, and adds flavour). Cover pot and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat, leave covered, and let sit for 11 minutes. Rinse cold water over them until cool enough to handle, peel and use for whatever you want. I have found that this method results in a clean, sweet-tasting egg, with no grey around the yolk (a sign of sulfur, a product of overcooking, which is also responsible for "egg smell.")

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I usually just ran them under cold water after boiling so that they didn't continue to cook. Also helped peel 'em too.

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alwaysw wanted to know a method that worked. we have an overabundance of eggs. I like pickled red beet eggs, reminds me of a Polish bar my grandpop used to take me to .

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Craven de Kere wrote:

I usually just ran them under cold water after boiling so that they didn't continue to cook. Also helped peel 'em too.

Yes indeed, that is key. There is nothing more disgusting than an overcooked egg. Well, maybe a few things from gustav's recipes.

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no thank you, they always give me gas . . .

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Here is one of our family's traditions. Weird, I know.

The hard boiled eggs around eastertime used, of course, for coloring, are always deliberately overcooked a little.

The children all know that these are eggs from the Easter Bunny because when you cut them open, the yolk has a thin dark-green layer. These are bunny eggs.

Regular chicken eggs have completely yellow yolks, of course.

General Tsao
"Would you like green eggs and ham?"

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a fresh egg is always harder to peel than one that has a greater amount of elapsed timeseparating it from a chickens ass. the amniotic membrane becomes more like velum and water can infiltrate the layer beneath and while peeling under water , the older egg just gives up its shell in big globs. A fresh egg will sometimes have the membrane stick to the egg white and make it more spotty to conclude witha smooth perfect peeled egg.

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In them olden days, when we kept chickens, and they didn't get that "amphetamine-get-your-ass-in-that-hutch-and-lay-eggs-damn-you" feed, but just cracked corn and dry bread scraps (plus whatever they could scratch up in the yard), they had quite different egg shells. They would keep for days without refrigeration, so i suppose that the eggs we had hard-boiled were always a little older anyway. Many women, like my grandmother, kept a few hens, usually a dozen or more, for home consumption, and some a few dozen, for "butter and egg" money.

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I've always wondered why sometimes the hard boiled eggs would have that "egg smell." My husband always tends to overcook them. He believes they should cook for an additional 15 minutes after they begin to boil. I'm going to try cooking them with your method in order to achieve a better tasting egg. Thanks.

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hell. our chicken are so free range that we get postcards. Every day we have an egg hunt and its amazing that once a hen likes a certain spot she will lay eggs there as long as a few are kept there to make her feel comfortable that this is, indeed her nest. chickens are terrible at math , so it doesnt matter how many eggs are left as bait. we just mark those with apencil so we dont bring it in a few months old and try to hard boil it. Then it would probably be a real WMD.

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Well, while tough to raise chickens on my balcony, I do only use free range eggs, and chicken. Tea eggs are fun too. Yes, older eggs peel easier than really fresh, but some sea salt usually helps them along, but if you are only gonna use them for egg salad, it doesn't really matter much.

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Tea eggs go against the rules for cooking:

6 eggs
2 star anise
4 tablespoons black tea
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons soy sauce
water to boil eggs
1 cinnamon stick (optional)

Directions:

Place the eggs in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil and allow the eggs to simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Place the eggs under cold running water to cool. Don't drain the water in the pan.

Using the back of a heavy spoon, make a series of cracks all over the eggshells, making sure the shell remains intact. (Don't worry if the shell does come off - it just means that egg will have a darker color than the others).

Bring the water in the pan back to a boil. Mix in the other ingredients, and then add the eggs. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for at least an hour, preferably longer. Let the eggs remain in the juice until they are served.

May be prepared in advance, and may be frozen.

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What is an "egg-smell" - if you are not reffering to the natural smell of eggs?

I only notice that my eggs smell a little bit, when the hen got some 'smelly' leaves for 'lunch' (like turnips).

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For a soft boiled egg, which I prefer, I use the same method as described by caf: just take the egg out of the water shortly after it starts boiling.

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Oh cool. Thanks Cav. I'll do that from now on :-D

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The odor of rotten eggs is sulfurous--as are the gaseous gifts of the bean-eater . . .

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cavfancier wrote:

Using the back of a heavy spoon, make a series of cracks all over the eggshells, making sure the shell remains intact. (Don't worry if the shell does come off - it just means that egg will have a darker color than the others).

Cav,
Congratulations on being the first person EVER (outside of my family) who knows what "Tea Eggs" are!

I can't believe it! I grew up on these eggs (as well as a similar preparation, "Anise Eggs."

What you should mention, is that the cook should peel these eggs before serving. The whites will have a crackled, spider-web looking design on them, and they will have a mild salt and tea flavor.

These eggs were favorites of all our guests at dinner parties.

I have since decided to make them for Halloween parties, and call them "Spider Eggs," to be festive, and a little gross for the children. Shocked

Another note, the Tea Eggs are not difficult to prepare. Don't be afraid to make a dozen or more at a time--eggs keep well, especially when boiled in brine and tea.

General Tsao

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SETANTA; Your remarks struck my funny bone.

Joe Harris

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I'm truely sorry, Joe, i really hadn't meant you any physical harm. Mental anguish perhaps, but no physical harm . . .

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GeneralTsao wrote:

cavfancier wrote:
Using the back of a heavy spoon, make a series of cracks all over the eggshells, making sure the shell remains intact. (Don't worry if the shell does come off - it just means that egg will have a darker color than the others).

Cav,
Congratulations on being the first person EVER (outside of my family) who knows what "Tea Eggs" are!

I can't believe it! I grew up on these eggs (as well as a similar preparation, "Anise Eggs."

What you should mention, is that the cook should peel these eggs before serving. The whites will have a crackled, spider-web looking design on them, and they will have a mild salt and tea flavor.

These eggs were favorites of all our guests at dinner parties.

I have since decided to make them for Halloween parties, and call them "Spider Eggs," to be festive, and a little gross for the children.

Another note, the Tea Eggs are not difficult to prepare. Don't be afraid to make a dozen or more at a time--eggs keep well, especially when boiled in brine and tea.

General Tsao

Thanks! I'm a chef, it's my job to know these things. :wink:

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A chef, really?

I love food! You're now my best friend! Smile

General Tsao
PS: Don't take offense to my comment about tea eggs not being difficult to prepare--that note was directed toward other readers, chefs excluded.

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