How to Tell the Difference Between a Fresh & Hard Boiled Egg

Spin your eggs to see if they're hard-boiled.

Hard-boiled eggs can be a healthy snack, either eaten on their own or placed in salad or sandwiches. To save time, you may wish to hard-boil several eggs at once and keep them in the refrigerator. You may run into trouble, however, when you gaze at your egg tray and you can't distinguish the raw eggs from the hard-boiled ones. Thankfully, an easy technique will let you know which eggs are raw and which are hard-boiled without having to crack the shell.

Instructions

1. Lay an egg on its side on a hard surface, such as a countertop. Make sure the area is clean and free of debris.

2. Place your thumb on one end of the egg and your forefinger on the other end. Spin the egg, as you would spin a top.

3. Note whether the egg's spin is wobbly or smooth. A wobbly spin indicates a raw egg.

4. Stop the egg's spin with your forefinger. A hard-boiled egg will stop immediately. A raw egg will slow down but continue to wobble and spin.

References

• Homemakers: How Do You Tell The Difference Between a Fresh Egg and a Hard-Boiled Egg?
• Tipnut: Egg Tip-Bits
• The Naked Scientists: How to Tell If Your Egg Is Raw

Resources

• What's Cooking America: Boiled Eggs