Differing opinions for the pefect hard boiled egg

[Caslon]

Sorry if the subject has been boiled to death, I did a "Search" and the return hits didn't bring up that many direct returns.

Thru the years, I get mixed results. My method is to put them in cold water, bring to boil, simmer for X amount of minutes (usually 12) and then remove and put in ice water. I read somewhere that the ice water afterwards keeps the gasses in the egg yolk from migrating outwards, thus preventing the green ring. I still get green hb eggs anyways, sometimes.

I've also heard to: Eggs in cold water, bring to rapid boil for 5-7 minutes, remove, chill in ice water. I tried that and I got a batch to not have any green. Still yet to try that method again.

Today, I hear on a cooking radio show how to make the perfect hb egg.
Her perfect method is to bring the eggs to room temp, then boil water,
poke an pinhole in the top, and gently drop them in, reduce to simmer for exactly 11 minutes. ME? I'd probably break the egg pricking the top with a needle or "egg poker" (which I Googled and came up with nothing).

I mean this in a humorous way....let's get these many schools of thought together in one room and let them fight it out.

Anyways, I'm still looking for consistency in my hb eggs. Still at it. You can buy 2 pack hb eggs in little plastic container at the supermarket, and they are always easy to peel, no green. They seem to have it right. Lol! That's another thing, some of my HB eggs shell easily, others you end up ripping the egg apart. I think they are too cold in the fridge, because they peel easier when not so chilled. Not sure about if this is why.

Thanks. Mr. egghead.

 

[miniman]

I put mine to water from the tap, with a little vinegar & salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 10mins (depends on how much of a rush I'm in). To cool them down, I put the pan under a tap in the basin and have cold water running in until the eggs have cooled down.

 

[AMSeccia]

I start in cold water, add salt and vinegar (can't remember why, I think it prevents cracking), bring to a boil, remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes, then do an ice bath. I don't get the green ring. If they are jumbo eggs, maybe go 11-12 mins, sometimes they can look a bit "soft" otherwise. The trick to easy peeling is to use less than the freshest eggs. That's not to say use spoiled eggs, but a good week in the frig is a must for easy peels. If that's not possible (time), I boil hard enough to just crack (skip vinegar and salt step), shake the pan real good afterwards so they crack eachother, and soak in cold water overnight and hope like heck the peels slip off. I tried the pinhole thing more than once, and had the oozy trail in the water to prove it. Not for me!

I bet this debate will be as endless as "Which came first ... the chicken or the egg?"

 

[Caslon]

What I like about the "bring to boil" and "remove from heat" method is this:
You can use it for soft boiled eggs too and my eggs won't crack as I set them into boiling water as I used to. I just tried it. Altho, I tried the 6 minute setting aside method
for soft boiled med and they were way too stiff.
I'm going to skip warming them up in tap water before starting my soft boiled eggs and reduce by 1 minute.
The water being brought to boil is just the same as holding the eggs under the faucet.
Besides, it's one less step. That should be perfect soft boiled eggs the way I like.

I'm also going to try this method for hard boiled eggs. Bring to rapid boil and set aside.
Not sure if the vinegar and salt make a difference. I may as well give that a go too.
Other sites also mention to use older eggs for hardboiled.

Thanks.

 

[pacanis]

I always have eggs sitting on a shelf, so they are room temp whatever I am using them for. To hard cook I put them in cold water and bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and run tap water over them to cool. The recipe is from Better Homes (?) cookbook, the red and white checked one.
I never get a green ring, but in a recent thread on hard boiling eggs the thread originator told me I did get a green ring okaaaay ..... I think they left DC because nobody was agreeing with their ideas

My eggs are typically no older than a week out of the hen and I don't notice them being unusally hard to peel, but there is quite a thread devoted to peeling fresh eggs and water additives on one of the chicken forums. I posted the link here a while back. Some swear by oil, some vinegar, I haven't had the need to experiment. To peel I tap them on the counter all around, then roll them between the counter and my hand. The shell comes off easy enough for me.

I've seen those egg poker things. Go to Amazon and try your search. You should come up with a bunch of them.

 

[expatgirl]

before you boil any eggs make sure that they are safe......if you put them in a cup of water and they lay flat they are at their freshest, if they stand on one end, they're older but still usable, if they float---toss them.....threw out a whole carton of "fresh" eggs two weeks ago-----grrr!!! NO, you don't get refunds here

 

[pacanis]

Did you open one up expatgirl? Your method describes telling old eggs from fresh ones. I didn't realize a floater was necessarily bad, just older.

 

[expatgirl]

bad.......it floats because of the sulfur dioxide gases and we all know what really rotten eggs smell like---don't use them

 

[expatgirl]

at least in most shops in the US they'll take the eggs back and give you a refund...not here

 

[Caslon]

before you boil any eggs make sure that they are safe......if you put them in a cup of water and they lay flat they are at their freshest, if they stand on one end, they're older but still usable, if they float---toss them.....threw out a whole carton of "fresh" eggs two weeks ago-----grrr!!! NO, you don't get refunds here

Toss out them floaters...lol. Probably very true. I would be suspicious any eggs that float. lol. no offence.

 

[expatgirl]

well, here they don't fridge the eggs so it pays to check them

 

[expatgirl]

but the K. use a lot of eggs so the turnover is high---still need to check them over here

 

[Caslon]

Not a bad general rule of thumb in these days of not everyone knowing and
not every egg is fresh. OK.

 

[expatgirl]

ah, the joys of an expat's life....rotten eggs and all...hehehehhhe

 

[expatgirl]

Casion, without looking up your profile, where are you located??

 

[Caslon]

Hey, you bring in an egg from the barn...no floaters!

So. Calif.

 

[Barb L.]

I bring my eggs to room temp, then cover with water, cover and bring to boil, (this is on an electric stove) - then turn off heat and leave on burner for 20mins., then into cold water.

 

[Michelemarie]

I bring my eggs to room temp, then cover with water, cover and bring to boil, (this is on an electric stove) - then turn off heat and leave on burner for 20mins., then into cold water.

\

I did the same thing this year - no ring but very very hard to peel - has anyone had this problem?

 

[auntdot]

I despise boiled eggs, probably because my mom thought every kid needed to start the day with one and insisted we kids gulp them down. Have overcome many of the food imprinting I got as a kid but still cannot stand a boilded egg, hard or soft. The albuminous covering of the yolk really turns me off.

But I make them - for others. Still find folks like deviled eggs.

Have read books on cooking for years and have heard most of the variations I think. Tried the push pin thing, never again. It lets out gas and results with an egg without that pushed in appearacne at the fat end. Sorry, am not doing that again.

The addition of salt and vinegar may help but I don't understand it.

All I do is toss the eggs into cold water, bring it to a full boil, turn off the heat and let the covered pot sit for twelve minutes. If the eggs are really big I let it go a bit beyond.

Then cool, no chill, in water with some ice cubes added.

That green, ferruginous color is not there, usually.

Love eggs, just cannot deal with them boiled. Blech, double blech, a thousand times blech.

Would like to appreciate them but just cannot.

Wish I could, love eggs made anyway else.

 

[Calya]

I didn't know hb eggs were so complicated. I just put a few eggs in a pot add water, bring to a boil, cook on medium for 10 minutes,drain the water and let them cool.

I will have to try some of these other methods. Maybe I am missing out on something. =)