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How To Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs (Without The Green Ring)
Hard-boiled eggs are easy to make, but they’re also incredibly easy to mess up. There are a million and one ways to make them but this method makes perfect hard-boiled eggs every time: the whites are firm but not rubbery and the yolks are cooked through but still creamy, with no unsightly green ring surrounding them. For easy peeling, try to use older eggs. The fresher the egg, the more attached the shell, so eggs that have been in the fridge for a week or two will be much easier to work with. Also, keep in mind that I use standard large eggs — for smaller or larger eggs, the cook time would need to adjusted by a minute or so in either direction.
Begin by placing the eggs in a saucepan large enough so that they sit in a single layer. Fill the pan with enough cold water so that it covers the eggs by about an inch. It’s important to start the eggs in cold water — bringing the water and eggs up in temperature together ensures even cooking and prevents cracking. Bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat, then immediately remove the pan from the heat.
Cover, and let stand for 10 minutes.
Carefully pour out the hot water.
Then place the pan in the sink and run cold water over the eggs until the pan is lukewarm, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and refill with cold water; let stand until the eggs are room temperature, about 10 minutes.
Gently crack the eggs all over and peel under running water.
The eggs can be cooked and peeled 3 days ahead. If you keep the eggs in their shell, they can last for up to a week. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Hard Boiled Eggs
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place the eggs in a saucepan in a single layer, and fill the pan with enough cold water so that it covers the eggs by about an inch.
- Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes.
- Carefully pour out the hot water; place the pan in the sink and run cold water over the eggs until the pan is lukewarm, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and refill with cold water; let stand until the eggs are room temperature, about 10 minutes. Gently crack the eggs all over and peel under running water.
- Make Ahead: Eggs can be cooked and peeled 3 days ahead. If you keep the eggs in their shell, they can last for up to a week. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Tip: When peeling an egg, start at the wider end -- there's usually a small air pocket in there, which makes the egg shell easier to remove.
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I tried other recipes for hard boiled eggs. This is the best. Thank you. Your Caesar salad was also a hit.
I’m a pretty good cook ( thanks to you) but have never gotten the hang of hard boiled eggs. I have tried countless recipes and methods. Anyway, I made them according to your instructions and they were perfect! Thanks again for a winning recipe.
Hi Jen,
I was a bit skeptical about the method (no boiling time meant soft boiled eggs for me), but I’m happy to report they’re perfect!
I’ll use them for this Hungarian meal:
http://www.hungariantidbits.com/hungarian-layered-potato-rakott-krumpli/
Thank you for the recipe!
Notice that you don’t list baking temps as for convection . Do you use just regular oven temps? We just love All of your recipes !!!! 👍
Hi Shirley, Glad you like the recipes! I use a standard oven setting for all my recipes as not everyone as convection ovens.
Adding a little salt to the water helps make them easier to peel.
Hi Jenn,
I seem to have better results steaming the eggs around 12 minutes and after cooling in water for 5 minutes or so, the shells just slip off. Have you tried this technique and if so what was your experience, good or bad?
Thanks,
David
Hi David, I haven’t used this method, but I’ve read about it (maybe on Cook’s Illustrated?). It may be a bit less common because a lot of people don’t own steamer baskets. Thanks for sharing your method!