Want to cook the perfect hard-boiled? Follow this easy method. All you need are eggs, water, and a pot with a tight lid. And thanks to using a timer, you get perfect, easy-to-peel eggs every time.
What You Need to Hard Boil an Egg.
- Eggs. Use large, fresh eggs.
- A pot with a tight-fitting lid. This recipe requires a pot with a tight-fitting lid.
- A timer. You’ll want to start the timer as soon as the water reaches a boil. This keeps the eggs from overcooking.
- Ice bath. A bowl filled with water and ice cubes to cool the cooked eggs.
How to Cook a Hard-Boiled Egg Perfectly Every Time.
Step One: Select the right size pan.
When cooking hard-boiled eggs, you want the eggs in a single layer at the bottom of your pot. You never want to stack the eggs. The best size pot to use depends on how many eggs you’re cooking.
Step Two: Start with cool water.
Fill your pan with cool water. Place the eggs gently into the pot. You want the water to cover the eggs by about one inch. Starting the eggs in cool water helps to prevent the shells from cracking as they cook.
Step Three: Bring to a Boil.
Heat the pot over high heat. Bring the water to a full boil in the uncovered pot. It’s important to see lots of big bubbles for about a minute.
Step Four: Remove the Pan from the Heat.
This is the key step in cooking hard-boiled eggs: as soon as the water reaches a boil, remove the pan from the heat and cover the pot.
Select the cook time depending on the texture of a hard-boiled egg you enjoy.
- 10 Minutes. Mostly firm yolk. The center of the yolk has a little softness and the color tends to be dark yellow. Very tender egg white.
- 11 Minutes. Firm fully cooked yolk. Even yellow color. Firm egg white. This is my preferred cook time.
- 12 Minutes. Yolk is almost dry and pastel yellow in color. The egg white is very firm. but not rubbery.
Step Five: Cool the Eggs in an Ice Bath.
Fill a bowl with cold water and lots of ice cubes. After the cooking time is complete, transfer the eggs from the pot of hot water to the ice bath. If the eggs remain in the hot water, they’ll overcook. An overcooked hard-boiled egg has an unpleasant texture and a green ring around the yolk.
Step Six: Peel the Cooled Eggs
- Firmly tap the cooked, cooled egg, large end down, on the counter to shatter the bottom of the shell.
- Remove a little of the broken shell. Run your thumb over the thin membrane to separate it from the eggs.
- Peel away the membrane and the shell will come with it.
How Long Do Hard-Boiled Eggs Last?
You can store hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator for up to one week.
It’s best to leave the eggs in the shell until you’re ready to enjoy them. Peeled hard-boiled eggs can try out in the fridge. If you want to peel them to serve later, cover the eggs before refrigerating.
How to Hard Boil Eggs
Ingredients
- up to 12 eggs
Instructions
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Fill a pot with cool water. Gently place eggs into the pot in a single layer. The water should cover the eggs by about an inch.
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Bring the water to a full boil over high heat.
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As soon as the water reaches a boil, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and remove the pan from the heat.
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Allow the eggs to sit in the hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. (See note below.) Use a timer. The eggs can overcook if they sit in the hot water for too long.
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After the cooking time is complete, remove the eggs and place them in a water bath to cool.
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Once cool, peel the eggs right away or store them unpeeled in the refrigerator for up to seven days
Recipe Notes
Cook as many eggs as you need. Always keep the eggs in a single layer in the pot.
Hard Boiled Egg Cook Times
- 10 Minutes. Mostly firm yolk. The center of the yolk has a little softness and the color tends to be dark yellow. Very tender egg white.
- 11 Minutes. Firm fully cooked yolk. Even yellow color. Firm egg white. This is my preferred cook time.
- 12 Minutes. Yolk is almost dry and pastel yellow in color. The egg white is very firm. but not rubbery.
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