How to Hard-Boil and Peel Eggs

Peel a Hard-Boiled Egg Without Fuss or Bother

Have you ever seen that TV commercial for a special tool that will enable you to peel a hard boiled egg without making a mess? If you believe Madison Avenue, there are a lot of really insecure and unhappy people who can't sleep at night because peeling hard-boiled eggs is driving them crazy...Well, folks, I'm here to tell you that you'll never make a mess of hard-boiled eggs again if you follow these simple instructions - and it won't cost you a penny!

First, boiling your eggs is a straightforward, common sense sequence of steps. Begin with a pot that's big enough to hold the eggs in one layer - if you are doing half a dozen eggs, a two or three-quart saucepan is big enough. A dozen eggs will require a 6-quart Dutch oven or equivalent pot. Place the eggs in a single layer in the bottom of the pot, and just cover with water - too much water will just make the time to bring the water to boiling temperature longer. (If you're cooking more than a dozen eggs, it's better to do it in several batches.)

Set the pot on medium heat, uncovered, and bring to a rolling boil. Let the eggs boil for ten minutes and then remove the pot from the heat. Let the eggs sit in the hot water for at least 20 minutes. They'll finish cooking in the water, without further direct heat.

Bring your pot to the sink, and set it under the faucet. Turn on the cool water and let it run into the pot until all the hot water has been replaced with cool water. Let the eggs sit another five minutes.

One at a time, take an egg and crack it against the side of the sink or against the pot, on each end. One end of the egg is pointed and one is rounder - the rounder end usually has an air pocket. This end will be easier to crack and to peel. Holding the egg under the running tap water, begin peeling off the cracked egg shell from the rounder end while allowing the water to "lift" the shell away from the cooked egg. The shell should come off very easily and sometimes half the entire shell will come away in one piece! (There is a membrane between the shell and the cooked egg, which holds the broken shell pieces together and makes it quite easy to remove.) Rinse each egg carefully under the water to remove any bits of shell.