When I was first learning to cook, there was something incredibly intimidating about learning how to hard boil eggs. It seemed like only a wizard could pull off that perfect hard boiled egg. It’s actually so easy to hard boil an egg, but there are a few tips and tricks that make it work out better. If you have a pressure cooker, I find Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs even easier.
Tips for How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
Start with older eggs. (Unless making deviled eggs.) The longer they sit in the refrigerator, the more the membrane separates from the shell making it easier for them to peel after hard boiling. (If you should only have fresh eggs, this method will still work.) For deviled eggs, use fresh eggs. Fresh eggs still have the membranes in tact that hold the yolk in the center of the egg. This way when you remove the yolk to make the deviled egg, it won’t rip. Don’t start with boiling water. Cooking the eggs in hot water, not boiling water, and moving the eggs to ice water after the water comes to a boil prevents the green ring that can sometimes form around the yolk. Immediately remove the eggs from ice water after cooling them. It will help them to peel easier. If you peel immediately you should eat the egg that day. If you keep them in the peel they can stay refrigerated in a sealed container for up to one week.
Soft Boiled Eggs
If you would like to make soft boiled eggs, you would use the exact same method. The only difference is that once the water comes to a boil, turn off the heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 6 minutes. Cutting four minutes off the sit time will give you that perfect soft yolk that you are looking for. I love that in my Easy Ramen recipe.
Make Them in the Instant Pot
Like I said above, hard boiled eggs can also be made even easier in your instant pot! Not only is it a very simple hands-off process, they peel perfectly every single time. See my steps and cooking times in this Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs Recipe.
How to Eat Hard Boiled Eggs
We love having hard boiled eggs on hand in our house for a quick protein snack. There are a few different ways that I love to eat them as a snack, and I have more complex recipes listed below that use them as an ingredient. Transferring the eggs to the ice bath helps this process. The rapid cooling helps contract the egg whites, making them separate from the membrane and easier to peel. Make sure to set a timer and remove the eggs from the ice bath as soon as the five minutes is up. Leaving them in there longer than that can make them difficult to peel. My biggest tip for peeling hard boiled eggs is to crack them on all sides. Begin peeling from the wider end of the egg where the air pocket is. This is often the easiest place to start, and the membrane tends to separate more easily. Hard boiled eggs that are peeled should be eaten that day. Always use your best discretion with hard boiled eggs.
Salt & Pepper: Probably the most common way to eat these as a snack is just with a little salt and pepper on them. Everything Bagel Seasoning: If you need to add a little more flavor to your snacking life, this is a great substitute for salt and pepper. Pickled: Pickled Eggs is my go to snack. I love making a jar or two of them because they last in the refrigerator for 3-4 months. They are a great after work out snack, and I love them paired with a little fruit when my energy starts to dip in the afternoon.
If you make this hard boil eggs recipe, please let me know what you think by leaving a comment below!
Egg Salad Sandwich Spinach Salad with Bacon Healthy Potato Salad
