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    See More:   Appetizers Comfort Food Eating after Bariatric Surgery Gluten-Free Healthy Meals Holiday Meals Raising Foodie Kids Recipes for Beginners Snacks Vegetarian

    Last Modified: Aug 9, 2022 by Tara Ziegmont 12 Comments

    How to Cook Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

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    How to make perfect hard cooked eggs on the stove or in the Instant Pot - There is a secret to perfectly hard boiled eggs, and you can learn the tips and kitchen hacks here! If you follow these easy instructions, you will never have runny or rubbery hard boiled eggs again and the shells will peel right off! Great for Easter breakfast!

    PIN IT FOR LATER!

    Perfect hard boiled eggsPin

    It's egg season!

    I love Easter. My favorite thing about Easter is Easter candy, but I haven't imbibed this year. I don't intend to imbibe, either. Easter can be great without lots of candy.

    I hope.

    I may have more favorite things than the average person, but Easter is definitely high on my list. I love to color eggs. (Pop over here for the easiest egg dyeing instructions!) I love to make baskets. I love to be crafty. I love to eat spring food.

    Last year, I wrote quite a few Easter posts:

    • Deviled Eggs
    • Roasted Asparagus
    • Carrot Souffle
    • Leek Tart
    • Baked Pineapple

    I hadn't previously noticed that they were all about food. So much for Easter being a religious holiday, huh?

    Anyway.

    Back to Easter Eggs.

    My hard boiled eggs used to be terrible.

    I'm not alone. A study conducted by the American Egg Board in February 2010 showed that fewer than 30% of us hard cook our eggs properly.

    I color my eggs nicely, aside from the times when the dye gets spilled all over the place. But peeling them is a pain and they all end up in egg salad.

    Nobody notices the hunks missing from the eggs when they're all cut up in egg salad.

    In theory.

    This post was not intended to confess my inadequacies. I'm supposed to be learning how helping you to make hard boiled eggs, so let's get to that.

    Lest I ruin someone else's Easter eggs, I consulted the American Egg Board for help with the hard cooking.

    hard boiled eggs cut in halfPin

    How To Stop Screwing Up Your Hard Boiled Eggs

    • Hard COOKED, not hard BOILED

      Apparently, I've been cooking the eggs the wrong way. While the cooking water must come to a full boil in the recommended method, the pan is immediately removed from the heat so that the eggs cook gently in the hot water. Hard-cooking produces tender eggs and minimizes cracking.

    • Hard-cooked eggs in the shell can be refrigerated safely for up to one week

      Peeled hard-cooked eggs should be eaten the same day.

    • How to peel a hard-cooked egg:
      how to make perfect hard boiled eggsPin

      Gently tap egg on countertop until the shell is finely cracked all over. Roll egg between hands to loosen shell. Peel starting at the large end and hold the egg under cold running water to help ease the shell off.

    • Banish the greenish ring.

      This harmless but unsightly discoloration that sometimes forms around hard-cooked yolks results from a reaction between sulfur in the egg white and iron in the yolk. It occurs when eggs have been cooked for too long or at too high a temperature.


      hard boiled egg halves in front of an Instant PotPin
    • Very fresh eggs can be difficult to peel.

      Buy and refrigerate your eggs a week to 10 days in advance of cooking them to make the peeling process easier. This brief “breather” allows the eggs time to take in air, which helps separate the membranes from the shell.

    • Hard-cooked eggs are easiest to peel just after cooling.

      Cooling causes the egg to contract slightly in the shell.

    • Prepare a dozen hard-cooked eggs on Sunday so you'll have an all-natural, high-quality protein option on hand for your family during the busy week ahead, either for an on-the-go breakfast or after-school snack.

    So here's the info that you've been waiting for. Get your eggs ready.

    one hard boiled egg, cut in halfPin

    How to Make Perfect Hard Cooked Eggs on the Stovetop

    1. Place the eggs in saucepan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add cold water to cover eggs by 1 inch. Heat over high heat just to boiling.
    2. Remove pan from burner; cover. Let eggs stand in hot water - about 15 minutes for large eggs, 12 minutes for medium eggs; or 18 minutes for extra large eggs.
    3. Cool completely under cold running water or in a bowl of ice water. Peel and eat, or store unpeeled in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
    a bowl of perfectly cooked hard boiled eggsPin

    How to Make Perfect Hard Cooked Eggs in the Instant Pot

    The Instant Pot makes hard boiled eggs so easy if you just remember the 5-5-5 rule.

    1. Add the eggs and 1 cup of water to the pot. Cook the eggs on high pressure for 5 minutes.
      add water to the Instant PotPin
    2. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes.
    3. Remove the eggs from the Instant Pot and place into an ice bath for 5 minutes.
      hard boiled eggs in an ice bathPin

    Instant Pot hard cooked eggs come out perfectly every single time, and they are always easy to peel. We used to use the stovetop method above, but since we got an IP, we use it. It's so easy and the eggs come out so well that we'll never go back to the stovetop again!

    hard boiled eggs in front of the Instant PotPin

    What can I do with all those hard cooked eggs?

    I have some wonderful recipes for you! Try one or more of these:

    • Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs
    • The Best Classic Deviled Eggs
    • No Crunch Potato Salad
    • Egg & Olive Salad - my favorite!
    • Turkey Salad
    • Egg & Asparagus Salad with Mimosa Dressing - another of my favorites!
    • Cowboy Caviar
    • No Crunch Macaroni Salad
    eggs in a paper cartonPin

    Perfect hard boiled eggs on a platePin

    Hard cooked eggs on a platePin

    Hard cooked eggs on a platePin

    Eggs on a plate, with Boiled and hardPin

    eggs on a plate, with Boiled egg and YolkPin

    A bowl of food on a plate, with Boiled eggsPin

    A close up of eggsPin

    A close up of eggsPin

    A close up of eggsPin

    HOW TO COOK PERFECT HARD BOILED EGGS STORYPin
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    More Snacks

    • Spicy Baked Brie with Apricot Jam
    • Traditional Old Bay Steamed Shrimp Recipe - Peel & Eat Shrimp
    • How to Make Frozen Pierogies with Butter and Onions
    • Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

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    1. rydermakes3 says

      March 25, 2010 at 8:21 pm

      I've been cooking them wrong all along! I had no idea 🙂 Fun post! I love Easter, too.

      Reply
    2. Krista says

      March 26, 2010 at 5:08 am

      Wow! I'd been letting mine boil for about 10 minutes before taking them off the heat. Can't wait to try it this way - thanks for teaching us Tara 🙂

      Reply
    3. Krista says

      March 26, 2010 at 5:15 pm

      Oh my gosh! That's exactly how I've always done it too - we must have had the same teacher 😉

      Reply
    4. FeelsLikeHomeBlog says

      March 26, 2010 at 5:03 pm

      I know! Not only have I always boiled for 10 minutes, but I always left them in the water until it cooled. Probably an hour, maybe even more!

      Reply
    5. FeelsLikeHomeBlog says

      March 26, 2010 at 5:42 pm

      Probably. Whoever that was, they were wrong! 🙂

      Reply
    6. Krista says

      March 27, 2010 at 12:15 am

      Oh my gosh! That's exactly how I've always done it too - we must have had the same teacher 😉

      Reply
    7. FeelsLikeHomeBlog says

      March 27, 2010 at 12:03 am

      I know! Not only have I always boiled for 10 minutes, but I always left them in the water until it cooled. Probably an hour, maybe even more!

      Reply
    8. FeelsLikeHomeBlog says

      March 27, 2010 at 12:42 am

      Probably. Whoever that was, they were wrong! 🙂

      Reply
    9. Jenny in Ca says

      March 27, 2010 at 9:51 pm

      I have to admit I didn't know this! I usually start with cold water, put the eggs in and then cook for 20 minutes. I do cool them under cold water right away to make the shells come off easier. I will have to try this method and see how I like it.

      thanks!

      Reply
    10. Blessedwithgrace says

      March 28, 2010 at 9:35 pm

      Great and informative post! I read a similar explanation for how to boil an egg once before. They said the same thing! Take it off the heat and sit covered. Your instructions are even more informative. My problem - I start the eggs and then forget to take them off the burner when they start boiling. UGH! Too much going on and not paying attention.
      Happy Easter, my friend! I am thankful for your friendship.

      Reply
    11. Amy @ Finer Things says

      March 30, 2010 at 6:44 pm

      Very interesting! I turn the burner off as soon as it starts boiling (if I remember!) but I leave them on the hot burner. Will try moving to another burner next time.

      Reply
    12. Rick Thomas says

      May 07, 2020 at 7:42 am

      There are other foods that can be cooked that way for example rice, an inch of cold water over the top and bring to a full boil put on saucepan lid and take off the heat and leave for 15 to 20 minutes it may need warming up a bit. Stews much the same in a heavy pot bring to full boil put on lid and allow it to slow cook, you also save a lot on your energy bill.

      Reply

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    I am passionate about helping women to care for themselves and their families physically, emotionally, and spiritually by making time for what matters most through a combination of delectable recipes, Christian inspiration, and family fun. If you're tired of feeling so weary and uninspired, you're in the right place. I'm so glad you're here!
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