How To

How to Boil the Perfect Hard Boiled Egg

How to Boil the Perfect Hard Boiled Egg
Member
By rkayne
eHow Community Member
(901 Ratings)

You would think it was easy to boil an egg. Never boil that egg quite right? Get the gray or green 'stuff' around the yolk? They look shredded when you peel them? Never again! One simple method and totally impossible to mess up.

Difficulty: Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Eggs
  • Timer
  • Water
  • Saucepan with tight fitted lid
  • Fire
  1. Step 1

    Place eggs in the saucepan, it does not matter if it is 2 or 12 eggs, this way works. Just cover them with cold water, not too deep. Do NOT salt the water. Place on burner on HIGH heat.

  2. Step 2

    Place on burner on HIGH heat. Once they start to boil turn on the timer to 3 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    When the timer goes off, quickly take off the heat, put on the lid and reset the timer to 8 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    When 8 minutes are up, take to sink and run cold water over them for about a minute, let them soak a bit to cool off. They will peel best if you set them in the refrigerator for about 1/2 to 1 hour, but you can eat them now!

  5. Step 5

    Never have green or gray yolks again!

Tips & Warnings
  • Easy to remember, 3 minute boil, 8 minute covered.
  • Once you crack the egg, roll it around a bit, it makes it way easy to peel.
  • They could be addictive!

Comments  

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tarajeff1 said

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on 6/20/2009 I did this and they came out perfect. No more green eggs for me!

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on 6/10/2009 Great article.

billwest33 said

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on 6/1/2009 These directions yield an egg that is insanely difficult to peel and a bit soft on the inside, hardly what I'd call the "perfect" hard boiled egg! The best, easiest way to hard boil an egg that's easy to peel is to place your eggs in a pot of water with 1 inch of water covering the top of them, bring to a hard boil, then immediately reduce to a medium boil, leaving on the burner for 7-8 minutes for a soft boiled egg or 10 minutes for a hard boiled one. Works great for me every time!

bloomradio said

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on 5/29/2009 Don't buy into the hype. Stop worrying about your attitude, be a man, and boil the egg however the Hell you want. What is this, Russia? Why are you allowing these people to emasculate you? You'd be better served by remembering what Tennyson had to say on the subject: though one may be made weak by time and fate, but strong in will / To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. The only mind conditioning needed to boil an egg is the will, the Will, to take destiny by the throat and boil that egg.

danafu said

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on 5/29/2009 @theperfectfit I agree that altitude is important, however I feel that attitude is even more important. You need to ask yourself, am I ready to boil this egg? Have I considered the outcome or result of boiling this egg? Am I emotionally prepared to experience the innermost being of this egg? Boiling eggs should not be entered into lightly, it takes years of conditioning the mind and body to prepare yourself for this act. The rewards are great, but you need to rise to the occasion.

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