I’m an egg lover which might or might not be apparent by many of my previous recipes, but I am. There really seems to be an art to actually hard boiling an egg to make it easier for peeling. In addition, there is a slight difference in the way you go about boiling an egg for regular eating, and boiling an egg for deviled eggs. If you need to keep the egg looking “pretty”, this method should help immensely.

Step 1: To get an egg more evenly centered, especially for deviled eggs, the egg can be rested on its’ side overnight. This makes working with the egg white in solid form much easier. Place the eggs in the egg carton on their sides and leave in the refrigerator overnight. In addition, using eggs that are closer to their expiration date (but not expired) are easier to work with.

Step 2: When the eggs are finally ready to be boiled, it is a much better practice to allow the eggs to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This allows the eggs less shock when placed in hot water, reducing the risk of cracking eggs.

Step 3: Choose a large pot that allows the eggs to sit by themselves and not on top of each other. This will reduce the bumping that occurs during the boiling process, again reducing the amount of cracking. Fill the pot with cold water about a half inch above the largest egg. There is no need to fill the pot completely with water, as it takes longer to boil and is a waste of water.

Step 4:Cover the pot with a lid. A clear lid is helpful because of the ability to see inside without opening the lid, allowing the water to stay hot and boil. Turn the burner to high and allow the eggs to boil approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Keep a careful eye on the pot as it is boiling. The water needs to rapidly boil for the entire length of cooking time.

Step 5: After 6-8 minutes, remove the pot from the hot burner (turn burner off) and set on a cold burner. Sprinkle salt over the eggs. Do not stir. This will help make the eggs easier to peel. Replace the lid and allow the pot to sit for 30 minutes. This allows for additional cooking time and will keep the eggs stronger in the long run.

Step 6: When the 30 minute period is over, place a large bowl filled with ice water on the counter and very carefully remove eggs with a pair of tongs and place into the bowl of ice water. This allows the eggs to cool quickly, which reduces the appearance of the green color that is sometimes found around an egg yolk. This happens because of a chemical reaction between the sulfur found in the egg white and the iron found in the egg yolk. This same cooling process can also be achieved by draining the water in the large pot and running cool water over the eggs and adding some ice. Be very careful when draining the water, as the eggs are still susceptible to cracking. Leave the eggs in the ice water for about 30 minutes.

Step 7: It is now time to start cracking the eggs. Remove one egg at a time and gently crack the shell by tapping them against a hard surface. A bowl or the counter are both appropriate items to tap against. Don’t tap too hard or you will smash them open and this will cause breakage to an egg that needs to be in good shape for deviled eggs. Once the surface of the egg is cracked, return the egg to the ice water for about 10 minutes. This gives the water a chance to seep inside and makes peeling a much easier task.

Step 8: After ten minutes, the eggs are ready to be peeled. Gently lift the egg and begin peeling from a spot on the egg where the shell seems the most loose. If there is any difficulty in peeling, hold the egg under cold water and continue to peel. Once all eggs are peeled, they are ready to be used for many dishes from deviled eggs to egg salad. If the desired result is egg salad, all eggs should be perfect for this. If deviled eggs is what the recipe is for, discard any broken or split eggs (eating them is a good idea).

Watch for a recipe for delicious deviled eggs tomorrow.

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