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November 2007

Product Reviews / Main Nibbles / Cheese-Butter-Yogurt

The Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg

Here’s The “Recipe” To Make Hard Boiled Eggs

Plus Egg Nutrition & Egg Facts

If you’re frustrated because something as seemingly simple as cooking hard-boiled eggs doesn’t produce that perfect product, here is the egg-cellent solution.

Start with fresh eggs. However, don’t use farm-fresh eggs: They need to be at least three days old to peel well. Here’s a simple test for freshness: A fresh egg will sink in a bowl of water. Raw eggs that float in the water are over the hill for boiling, so make scrambled eggs or an omelet (assuming the eggs look and smell O.K. when you break them). Don’t bake with old eggs, either. By the way, commercially-produced eggs are washed before packing, and do not need to be washed again in the kitchen.

Don’t overcook. That generates the green ring around the yolk, which is a reaction between the iron in the egg yolk and the sulfur in the egg white. Heat abets the reaction, so the longer the eggs cook, the greater the chance of discoloration. Overcooked eggs are also are harder to peel.

The ideal technique. For easy-to-peel eggs with beautiful yellow centers:

1. Choose the right size pot, so you only have one layer of eggs, or they may not cook evenly.
2. Bring the eggs to room temperature before using (20 to 30 minutes out of the refrigerator). Place the eggs in a pot of cold water, covering the eggs by 2 inches. Add a teaspoon of salt, and bring the water slowly to a rapid boil. (A hard boil makes the whites tough and can cause the eggs to knock against each other and crack.)
3. Immediately remove the pot from heat and cover with a tight lid. Let it sit for 15 minutes for large, 17 minutes for extra large, 20 minutes for jumbo).
4. Drain and immediately place eggs in an ice water bath until completely cooled.
5. You can then refrigerate the eggs in their shells, or crack and peel them. Crack under running water, starting at the large end. Try to grab the membrane under the shell: It can help you remove large segments at a time. You should have beautiful eggs.

A hard cooked egg can safely be refrigerated for up to one week.

For Soft-Boiled Eggs

1. For soft whites, soft yolks:
   Large Egg: 4 to 5 minutes
   Extra-Large Egg: 5 minutes
2. For hard whites, soft yolks:
   Large Egg: 5 minutes
   Extra-Large Egg: 6 minutes

Remove from heat, cover with cold water before peeling per instructions above. Cooking times are based on room-temperature eggs. Times will vary based on altitude, but use these as a base and adjust accordingly.

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