There's nothing more frustrating than peeling a hard-boiled egg and losing half of the white to those stubbornly stuck shells. If you've ever wrestled with the peeling process only to find yourself with a batch of raggedy looking whites that just won't do for your deviled egg platter, these tips are for you.
Tips for Peeling Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Choose older eggs
- Steam your eggs
- Use an ice bath
- Peel under water
Why are fresh eggs so hard to peel?
The fresher the eggs, the harder they are to peel. 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. At Pete & Gerry's, we pride ourselves on the freshness of our eggs, which come right from our small family farms. If you've ever had trouble peeling our eggs, we highly recommend either letting our eggs age for a week or two in your fridge or using the steaming method.
How to steam eggs
Steaming an egg yields the same result as boiling, but with the benefit of shells that are much easier to remove. The process is easy. Here's what you'll need:
Kitchen equipment:
- A metal heatproof colander
- A pot with a fitted lid large enough to hold your colander
- A medium bowl (for ice bath)
Instructions:
- Place eggs in your colander, then place the colander in the pot.
- Fill the pot with a couple inches of water. The water level should stay just below the base of the colander (not touching the eggs themselves).
- Place a well-fitted lid on your pot, and bring the water to a boil.
- Once the water is boiling, start your timer and leave the lid on the pot to keep the steam from escaping (if it looks like you are going to run out of water, carefully add a little extra warm water to the pot as needed to make sure steam production doesn't cease).
- Let eggs steam for 12 minutes* before removing from the pot and placing in an ice bath (8-9 minutes for slightly jammy eggs).
*12 minutes works best when you're cooking six eggs in a single layer in your colander. If you're cooking a larger batch, or eggs that are layered on top of each other, you may need to add additional time to ensure that the eggs are cooked through.
Using an ice bath
Submerging your eggs in an ice bath right after you remove them from the pot (or any cooking apparatus you decide to use) is crucial. It not only brings the cooking process to a halt, preventing your eggs from getting overcooked, but also shocks the egg white, causing it to shrink back from the shell. This process helps begin to loosen the egg white from the inner shell membrane that's responsible for most difficult-to-peel hard-boiled eggs. In general, about 10 minutes (or more) of rest time in the ice bath will do the trick.
Peeling under water
Once your eggs have cooled to the touch, peel them right in the ice bath (or, if it's too cold, replace the ice bath with cool water). Cracking the shells while the eggs are submerged allows the water to flow into the space between the egg white and membrane, further separating them. Once you've peeled all your eggs, strain off the water remaining in the bowl and compost the eggshells.
Got an Instant Pot? Try this steaming method for perfectly cooked and peel-able hard-boiled eggs.
FAQs
Cool Eggs Quickly In An Ice Bath
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.
How do you get boiled eggs to peel easily? ›
How to Peel Hard Boiled Eggs, Step-by-Step
- Step 1: Plunge the Boiled Eggs Into an Ice Bath.
- Step 2: Gently Crack the Egg.
- Step 3: Roll the Egg.
- Step 4: Start Peeling at the Large End.
- Step 5: Use Cold Water for an Extra Assist.
- Start with Slightly Older Eggs.
- Add Baking Soda.
- Cook the eggs In Boiling Water.
Cool Eggs Quickly In An Ice Bath
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.
Why won't my eggs peel after I boil them? ›
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.
How many minutes to boil eggs? ›
Start the timer – 6 minutes for runny yolks, 8 minutes for soft boiled, 10 minutes for classic hard boiled, 15 minutes for unpleasant rubbery whites and powdery dry yolks. Transfer into a large bowl or sink of cold water.
What happens if you boil an egg too long? ›
Overcooked hard-boiled eggs can be identified by their rubbery texture and unpleasant odor. When you overcook an egg, the egg white becomes tough and rubbery, making it difficult to chew. The yolk may also have a chalky texture and a greenish-gray ring around the outside.
Why are my egg shells hard to peel? ›
The fresher the egg, the more difficult it is to peel after hard cooking. That's because the air cell, found at the large end of the shell between the shell membranes, increases in size the longer the raw egg is stored. As the contents of the egg contracts and the air cell enlarges, the shell becomes easier to peel.
How to hard boil eggs out of the shell? ›
Yes, it is possible to boil an egg without its shell. This is commonly known as a "naked egg". To make a naked egg, you need to first remove the shell by carefully cracking it and peeling it away from the egg. Once the shell is removed, you can boil the egg as you would normally.
What do you add to water to make boiled eggs peel easier? ›
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.
Does tapping an egg make it easier to peel? ›
Tapping purportedly detaches the membrane (the clear film lining eggshells) from the shell, eliminating the sticking issue from the get-go.
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.
How to get your hard-boiled eggs to peel easily? ›
Set up a large bowl of ice water while the bubbler is bubbling, then transfer the just-cooked eggs as soon as you hear the bee-bee-beep. Let your perfect hard-boiled eggs hang out in the cold water until they're cool enough to handle, 2–3 minutes. 5. Peel the eggs under the water.
Is there a tool to peel hard-boiled eggs? ›
Hard Boiled Egg Peeler, 5 Egg Capacity – Handheld Specialty Kitchen Tool Peels Egg Shells in Seconds (As Seen on TV)
What do you add to water to make eggs peel easier? ›
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.
How much vinegar to add to boiling eggs? ›
Therefore, adding one tablespoon or 15 ml of vinegar for every quart of water in the pot is recommended. So, vinegar for hard boiled eggs can save you time and effort when peeling and also help you get more out of your protein-rich snack!
How to tell when boiled eggs are done? ›
If the yolk of the egg is solid and yellow, the eggs are done. You can then transfer the eggs to an ice bath to cool. If the yolk has a green ring around it, it means that it's been slightly overcooked. If the insides are still runny, it means it's not fully cooked.
