Hard cooked eggs

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Tormato
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Hard cooked eggs

#1

Post: # 44008Unread post Tormato
Wed Mar 31, 2021 1:56 pm

Not hard boiled eggs.

Cover eggs with 1" of water
Heat on high till water boils
Cover and remove from heat
Medium eggs are done in 12 minutes, large in 15, extra large /jumbo in 18.

I like to have the lid with a tiny gap between it and the pot. Otherwise, the cooling air inside the pot creates a vacuum, and that lid ain't coming off without some thinking.

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karstopography
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Re: Hard cooked eggs

#2

Post: # 44010Unread post karstopography
Wed Mar 31, 2021 2:13 pm

That’s the way my mama cooks eggs.
Zone 9b, located in the Columbia bottomlands, annual rainfall 46”

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pepperhead212
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Re: Hard cooked eggs

#3

Post: # 44015Unread post pepperhead212
Wed Mar 31, 2021 3:27 pm

My favorite method for hard cooking eggs is using the Instant Pot, to pressure steam them. I was very skeptical, when I first heard about it, so I only cooked 2 eggs, the first time I tried it, but it worked great - the eggs peeled super easily, and there was no gray/green in the yolks. I have never had a peeling problem, like I often did with other methods, when some of the whites often would come off with the shells. I think the fact that the white cooks firmer helps the shell come off easily.

If you have an Instant Pot, simply put 1/2" of water in the pot, and use the wire rack that comes with the IP to put eggs on. (I actually got a rack especially made for eggs, when I got a bunch of things for the IP - a steam diverter, a steamer basket, a silicone steamer with a lid, and 3 replacement seals - all cheaper than ordering the seals and diverter separately! However, the eggs cooked in the egg rack didn't cook as well, which surprised me, since the "bubble" in the eggs was placed up, since they were cooked in a vertical position, but horizontally in the regular rack. Made no sense!). I think I've gotten 8 in at one time, in the 6 qt IP. Set it on manual 5 minutes (or whatever the newer models say), and start. After the 5 minutes is done on the timer (more than this, since that is the time once the pressure is achieved), let it rest 5 more minutes, then release pressure. Remove eggs to a bowl of ice water.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Tormato
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Re: Hard cooked eggs

#4

Post: # 44018Unread post Tormato
Wed Mar 31, 2021 4:22 pm

I've read that easy pealing eggs are older eggs, having more air inside the shell as there is shrinkage (not the Seinfeld kind). With my above method, I've had very easy pealing, near impossible pealing, and everything in-between.

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karstopography
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Re: Hard cooked eggs

#5

Post: # 44024Unread post karstopography
Wed Mar 31, 2021 5:08 pm

My daughter and my bookkeeper supply me with their farm fresh eggs from time to time and those eggs are generally a pain to peel. Store bought eggs I believe are typically easier to peel. My wife sitting right next to me disagrees with me on this point and says the eggs, store bought or farm fresh, are indistinguishable on the peeling aspect. She says the key to easy peeling eggs is to douse them in ice water.
Zone 9b, located in the Columbia bottomlands, annual rainfall 46”

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GoDawgs
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Re: Hard cooked eggs

#6

Post: # 44025Unread post GoDawgs
Wed Mar 31, 2021 6:21 pm

I use a pot that has a steamer insert. 1" of water in the bottom, a dozen eggs in the pot with lid on, set it on a medium flame, set the timer for 19 minutes and walk away. When the timer goes off, I drain the eggs, dump them back in the pot, cover with cold water and walk away for about 30 minutes. When the timer goes off, into the fridge the eggs go. Done.

I get free eggs from a friend up the road and they're as fresh as can be. Laid same day or day before. Rarely is there any trouble shelling them. Most times it comes off in big pieces, almost falling off. Oh, every once in a while there's one whose shell is as tight as *Bleep*'s hatband and you have to pick off every little piece of shell but it's rare.

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jmsieglaff
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Re: Hard cooked eggs

#7

Post: # 44036Unread post jmsieglaff
Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:14 pm

https://www.thekitchn.com/the-best-way ... 3315?amp=1

A link of interest. I did 2 dozen using boiling method tonight for coloring with the kids. Will try them after we dye them.

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brownrexx
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Re: Hard cooked eggs

#8

Post: # 44048Unread post brownrexx
Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:44 am

[mention]jmsieglaff[/mention] that is the best comparison of methods that I have seen. Thanks for posting.

It is amazing to me how many methods there are for such a seemingly easy cooking task.

I have 6 chickens so I always have very fresh eggs and I totally believe that cooking fresher eggs makes them hard to peel. However I discovered that cooking eggs in my Instant Pot makes them easy to peel no matter how fresh they are. I use the 5-5-5 method in the IP. 5 minutes high pressure, 5 minutes pressure release and at least 5 minutes in ice water but usually longer.

I don't always feel like using the IP for just 2-4 eggs so I boil them. I age my eggs in the refrigerator for about a week before cooking and they are almost always easy to peel cleanly. I have always put them in a pan of water and brought it to a gentle boil for 10-12 minutes and then immediately put the cooked eggs into ice water.

Using ice water after cooking prevents those green yolks because it stops the cooking immediately instead of letting them cool slowly and overcook. This is like blanching veggies. If you would allow them to cool slowly, they would be mushy and overcooked.

I have 5 eggs aging in the refrigerator right now and I plan to make deviled eggs on Easter so, based on the above attached link, instead of bringing the water to a boil with the eggs already in the pan, I plan to add them to boiling water and then do the same gentle boil that I always do.

I just LOVE deviled eggs and always have them with Easter dinner.

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