Hard boiled eggs are wonderful for so many applications. Using them for decoration, eating out of hand, simple snacks, deviled eggs, egg salad or one of the many other ways to enjoy hard boiled eggs. The only problem is consistently cooking them and ease of peeling them. I don’t know about you but a few stubborn eggs and I am ready to give up and never make them again.
After years or trying various “proven methods” old eggs, warm eggs, shocking in cold water and all the other wives tales that go along with making hard boiled eggs. I have finally found a method that works like a charm almost flawlessly for perfectly cooked yolks and easy to peel eggs. Most methods tend to work if the conditions are just right but so often the variables are too vast, unknown and hard to actually control.
For the past 2 years I have been using this method exclusively and almost every time no matter the age or temperature of the egg they cook and peel perfectly, occasionally I will have one or two with a few blemishes but nothing like the pock marked mangled messes I had in years past.
Here is the no-fail method for perfect easy peel hard boiled eggs.
It’s simple and uses STEAM.
Place 1-2 inches of water in a saucepan and cover with a tight fitting lid. Load eggs into a steamer basket in one layer. Preferably they have a little room to move around and are not packed too full so they will cook evenly. (I use cold eggs right from the refrigerator).
When the water comes to a boil, place the loaded steamer basket into the pot sitting above the water. Cover with the lid and set your timer for 11-13 minutes. (I like the yolks slightly soft so 11 is perfect for me, you may want to cook up to 13 minutes). When the timer goes off, remove them from the steamer basket into a large bowl of ice water to shock them and stop the cooking process. Allow the to cool for at least 10 minutes.
I find is it easiest to peel them while they are still warm but you can refrigerate them in the shell and peel them later. Hard boiled eggs with keep safely for 1 week refrigerated but I have kept mine longer and never had bad results. Remember when in doubt toss it out.
Check out Cook’s Illustrated for in depth look at the the science behind how it works.
Do you have an easy way to cook, peel or color eggs? Share your thoughts here.
So once you put the eggs in the basket and into the pot do you leave The Heat on or do you turn it off and the steam continues? I want to be clear on the directions.
I have a gas oven and I worried that the water will dry up but I’d like to try this method.
Hi Elizabeth, This is a great question thank you for asking. I too use a gas stovetop. It is important that you do have water in the bottom of the pan 1-2 inches should be enough. If you are concerned you could add more but note the steamer basket should not be sitting in water. Once the water comes to a boil add the steamer basket and cover. You can turn down the heat to reduce evaporation as you won’t need the water to be at a hard boil but just hot enough to produce steam. Does this make sense? We are only cooking for 11-13 min so it should be plenty of water for the cooking time. Set a timer to be sure you don’t forget and boil the pan dry. I hope this helps good luck and enjoy!