This is the best recipe for hard boiled eggs. These perfect hard boiled eggs create a beautiful yellow yolk with no green ring every time. We also include our easy tips for how to peel hard boiled eggs.
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Hard Boiled Eggs are not as tricky as you might think. It is very easy to get that perfect boiled egg with a bright yellow yolk, you just have to pay attention. It is really that simple! What I mean by "paying attention" is that you need to set your timer and make sure you do not over-cook the eggs. Over cooked eggs = green yolk. No one wants that. My recipe for hard boiled eggs will give you that perfect yellow yolk in just 15 minutes of your time.
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Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
This method of boiled eggs results in perfectly set yellow egg yolks and egg whites. The trick is steaming the eggs for exactly 10 minutes and making sure you are watching your timer! One more minute and you risk the green ring around the yolk! Ew! Less time may result in a more runny yolk and the egg white not set.
If you prefer a less cooked egg, then drop the time to 6 to 8 minutes instead. Keep in mind that a lot of variants may affect your outcome, such as the type of pot you use, the kind of eggs, how old your eggs are, etc. I've used my Dutch oven as well as my standard pot, new eggs and old eggs, white eggs and brown eggs all with the same results.
Let's get started!
How to Hard Boil Eggs
- Place eggs in a pot in a single layer. For my large Dutch oven, I typically boil up to 12 eggs. For a smaller pot I will do around 6 eggs at a time. You can do more or less, but that's what I tend to do.
- Add cold water until eggs are covered by about 1/2 to 1 inch.
- Bring to a boil, uncovered, over high heat. PAY ATTENTION! Once it reaches a rapid boil, allow to boil for 1 additional minute, then cover and remove from heat.
- Let eggs steam in the covered pot for exactly 10 minutes. Do not remove the cover during this time. Set your timer!
- Meanwhile, prepare the ice bath by placing ice in a large bowl with cold water.
- When your timer hits 10 minutes, immediately remove the eggs from the pot to the bowl with ice water. This stops the eggs from cooking and cools them quickly so they will not turn green inside. Let them stay in the bowl until cooled, for at least 5 minutes (longer if cooking a larger amount of eggs).
Storing Hard Boiled Eggs
If you are not consuming your eggs right away, I recommend storing them with the peel on in the fridge. Keep the boiled eggs in the ice bath for at least 5 minutes to ensure they stopped cooking inside. If you want to peel and eat one right away, you can do that immediately when the eggs are cool enough to handle (typically after just 1 minute in the ice bath).
How long do hard boiled eggs last? Unpeeled hard boiled eggs last in the fridge for up to 1 week. If they are peeled, they last only a few days.
How to Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
- Lightly tap the egg on a hard flat surface (like the counter or a cutting board). It is best to crack the egg all around it's surface.
- Gently squeeze the egg with your fingers to start separating the peel.
- Find the air pocket and start peeling from there.
- Peel eggs over a paper towel for easy clean up.
- Use the tips below for more tricks to easy peel eggs.
Tips for Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
Find the air pocket. Start peeling the egg from the air pocket and try to grab the "skin" to help aid in the peeling.
Use older eggs. Eggs that are 7 to 10 days old often peel better because they have a larger air pocket to begin with.
Have patience and light fingers. For those trickier ones (there are some in every batch!) work slowly around the egg and allow your fingers to continue lightly peeling.
Dip in cold water. Keep a bowl of ice cold water next to you while peeling the eggs and dip your fingers or the egg into it to help separate the peel. This is a trick I very often use.
Recipes that use hard boiled eggs
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How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
Ingredients
- 6 to 12 large eggs
- Cold water
- pinch of salt
For the ice bath:
- A couple handfuls of ice cubes
- More cold water
Instructions
- Carefully place the eggs in a single layer on the bottom of a pot. Cover with cold water, just until the eggs are covered by about a 1/2-inch. Add salt.
- Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Pay attention! Once it reaches a rapid boil, allow it to continue boiling for 1 minute, then immediately cover and remove from heat. Let stand, covered, for exactly 10 minutes. Set your timer!
- Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl by combining ice cubes and cold water. When 10 minutes is up, uncover the pot and use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to the ice bath.
- When the eggs are cool enough to handle (after about 1 minute in the ice bath) peel immediately from the ice bath by cracking the egg shell on the hard counter until you find an air pocket. Start peeling from the air pocket, making sure to catch the "skin" underneath the shell. If any pieces of shell remain, dip peeled egg back into the ice bath to clean off the rest.
- If not peeling right from the ice bath, store in the refrigerator then peel later while cold, using the same technique of finding the air pocket. Run under cold water while peeling to help, if needed.
Notes
Nutrition
The recipe was originally published November 2012 and updated April 2020.
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Jennifer says
A trick that has stayed with me for easy peeling has been once cracked, peel away the air pocket area and then using a large spoon, slide it carefully under the shell curve part against the egg. Then you can slide the spoon around the egg, releasing the shell. Works every time, for very fresh and older eggs.
Nikki Gladd says
Love this trick!! Thank you, Jennifer!
Emily says
Oh my word! Thank you a thousand times over! I consider myself a fairly good cook, but I've battled with hard boiled eggs for years. No matter what I've tried they've been an utter failure. These came out perfectly! Okay, all but one. :0)
You just made my day!
Sue Gladd says
Cracking the eggs immediately after the cold bath works wonders!
Jessica @ Sunny Side Up says
That boiled egg really does look perfect! I always have the HARDEST time peeling the eggs. I usually bring the water to a boil with the eggs already in the pot, but I don't think I've ever made sure the water was cold to start. I'll have to give it a try this week!