As a rule, the fresher the egg, the more difficult it is to peel cleanly. The albumen (white) of a just-laid egg contains a store of dissolved carbon dioxide, a weak acid.
According to our friends at Delish, adding a teaspoon of baking soda to your boiling pot of water will help the shell peel off seamlessly. Why? The alkaline in the baking soda will help your egg whites loosen up from the shell, making it easier to peel.
Adding white vinegar or apple cider vinegar to your pot of water allegedly results in softer, easier-to-peel eggshells.
This is because the egg white or “albumen” in a fresh egg has a relatively low pH level, making it acidic. When cooked, these fresh egg whites bond strongly to the inner shell's membrane. As an egg ages, the pH level rises and the inner membrane is less likely to bond to the albumen, so the shell peels off much easier.
Shocking your recently boiled eggs by submerging them into a bowl of ice water is key. The quick cooling of the hard-boiled eggs causes the egg whites to contract, freeing them from the membrane. If you let them cool for about 15 minutes, the peeling is much easier.
Once the boiling time is done, use the slotted spoon to immediately transfer the eggs from the boiling water to the ice bath. Let the eggs sit in ice water for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, the eggs will be cool enough to handle and are ready to be peeled.
Starting the cooking with cold water decreases the chances of eggs cracking as you add them to a hot pan of water. It also evens out the cooking time so it doesn't matter if your eggs were cold from the fridge or at room temperature. Overcooked eggs are harder to peel. Use a timer and stick to it.
The vinegar in the water makes the eggs easier to peel. Here's why: The vinegar's acid not only dissolves some of the calcium carbonate in the shell, it also helps the whites set faster. Running the hard-boiled eggs under cold running water as you're peeling, meanwhile, helps the shell separate from the membrane.
Place eggs in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let the eggs cook, covered, for 9 to 12 minutes, depending on your desired done-ness (see photo). Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water and chill for 14 minutes.
Many of us are used to cooking potatoes with a cold start so they cook evenly, but I've found that this doesn't apply to hard-boiled eggs. A hot start gives you an easier peel, and the eggs will still cook beautifully and evenly.
It's best to store hard-boiled eggs with the shells on, as the outer layer serves as a protective barrier. Plus, they're easier to peel once they've chilled in the fridge for a while. It's a win-win! Transfer hard-boiled eggs to a bowl of cold water immediately after cooking to help them cool down faster.
We also found that the longer you leave eggs in cold water, the harder it is to remove their shells. Ideally, peel the eggs as soon as they're cool. Start at the broad end, and hold the egg under running water to loosen any bits of stubborn shell clinging to the sides.
NaCl or salt is added to the water when boiling eggs as the addition of salt or other non-volatile solid help in reducing the vapour pressure of the liquid. Which in turn increases, the boiling point i.e the temperature at which the vapour pressure equals the atmospheric pressure.
"Get them onto a spoon and drop them into the water", Gordon said, timing six minutes to boil the eggs. "Bring that [the water] to the boil, but don't water them ferociously, or you'll get a black line around the outside, boil them gently."
4 minutes for slightly set yolk and set white. 5 minutes for a medium cooked firmer yolk and white. 6 minutes for hard boiled with lightly soft yolk. 8 minutes for firmly hard boiled.
As soon as eggs start to boil, let boil for 10-12 minutes (I do 11 minutes). Set timer to help. Immediately remove from heat and set pot in a clean/cleared out sink.
A soft boiled egg is boiled for a shorter amount of time, typically 4-6 minutes, so that the yolk remains runny while the white is only partially set. A hard boiled egg is boiled for a longer amount of time, typically 10-12 minutes, so that both the yolk and white are fully cooked and solid.
You only need 12 Minutes for Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
So here's the great reveal. If you follow these simple steps, you'll achieve perfect hard boiled eggs every time: STEP 1 – Choose a pot that is deeper than the eggs.
Boil for 6 – 7 minutes over medium-high heat for perfect hard boiled eggs. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a large bowl of ice water and let them cool for a few minutes. Or you can place them under cool running water to stop the cooking. This will also help the eggs peel easily.
Starting with boiling water.
If you're about to place uncooked eggs in a pot of boiling water, stop what you're doing immediately. Making hard-boiled eggs should always begin with cool water. Bringing the water and eggs up in temperature together helps promote even cooking and prevent cracking.