Peeling Fresh Hard Boiled Eggs

Over the past few weeks I have peeled a LOT of hard boiled eggs. You see, I got a new pot and that meant my recipe needed tweaking. I've always wondered why sometimes my eggs peel beautifully and other times they end up a sad looking mess and my fingers ache from trying to peel them.

So with Easter right around the corner I thought now is the perfect time to share my recipe. I know everyone has their own method that works for peeling them easily, but this is the method that we SWEAR by! 

I'll run through my basic recipe quickly. It's best to use eggs that are a few days old rather than ones laid that morning. I will leave them on the counter for a few days before using them. I start off by placing the eggs in a stainless steel pot. I cover them with warm water that covers them by about an inch. Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from the heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water. Now just to be clear, the amount of time you leave them in the water depends on a few things: your pot, your altitude, and how many eggs you are cooking. You may want to remove one egg at first and peel it to make sure it is cooked to your satisfaction. I have found 15 minutes works for us. 12 minutes was perfect with my last pot, but I had to adjust the time for my new one. When your time is up, remove one egg with a slotted spoon and run it under cold water until it can easily be handled. 

Eggs peel in large pieces!

Now comes time to peel! Once you have taken your first egg out and cooled it so you can handle it, immediately crack it gently on the side of your counter without drying it off (the water seems to help the process). I like to start peeling at the blunt end personally. If you get to a spot that is sticking, run it under the water again. I have found that with this method of peeling them immediately means I can peel them extremely quickly (15 seconds or less per egg) and the peels just pop right off in large pieces. Once you finish one, remove another from the hot water and repeat the process. 

I'm not sure why this method makes them easier to peel, but it seems like the inner membrane no longer sticks to the egg and the shell is more flexible. The water also seems to make the process smoother, which is why I always run them under the water again if I have a tough to peel spot. I cannot believe how easily I can peel eggs this way! This method has been working consistently for us, so I feel comfortable sharing it with all of you :)

Perfectly peeled eggs!