How to Easily Peel Hard-Boiled Eggs

Removing an egg's shell can sometimes be a time-consuming process.

Hard-boiled eggs have many uses in recipes, and they are a common snack or part of a meal for many people. Boiling eggs is a fairly straightforward process, but sometimes the task of peeling away the shell can be difficult. If you have a lot of boiled eggs to peel for a large recipe, this can be especially annoying. There are a few methods you can try to speed up the peeling process and save yourself time.

Things You'll Need

• Pan with lid

Instructions

Cold-Water Soaking Method

1. Place the eggs inside the pot and fill it with cold water until the water is a few inches higher than the top of the eggs. Let the eggs sit in the cold water for about five minutes to equalize the temperature.

2. Place the pot on a burner at high heat and wait until the water starts to boil, then remove the pot from the burner and cover with a lid. Let the pot sit for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the size of the eggs.

3. Drain the water from the pot and fill it with cold water several times to cool the eggs down. This makes the shell less likely to stick to the egg.

4. Tap the large end of the egg against your kitchen counter to crack the end of the shell, then turn the egg over and tap the small end against the counter. The shell should now peel off very quickly and easily.

Blowing Method

1. Place the eggs in the pot and fill with water until the water level is a few inches higher than the top of the eggs.

2. Add 1 tsp. baking soda to the water. This changes the pH level of the water and eggs and make the shell less likely to stick.

3. Place the pot on the burner and boil the eggs for about 12 minutes directly on the burner.

4. Remove the pot from the burner and drain the water. Add cool water several times or add ice for faster cooling.

5. Tap the small end of the egg against your kitchen counter and remove the top of the shell.

6. Tap the large end of the egg against the counter and remove the bottom of the shell.

7. Place the small end of the egg up against your lips and place your other hand below the large end, ready to catch the yolk.

8. Blow into the egg forcefully. This will cause the yolk to shoot out the large end of the shell into your hand.

References

• Choosing Voluntary Simplicity: Easy to Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
• Four Hour Workweek: How to "Peel" Hard-Boiled Eggs Without Peeling