Perfect in your favorite egg salad or as a snack, everybody loves a hard-boiled egg! Use this foolproof, 10-minute recipe to avoid overcooked eggs or an eggshell mess.
Place the eggs into a saucepan and add water to cover by at least 1-inch. Bring the water to a boil, and then allow the eggs to boil for 1 minute. Turn off the heat, cover and let the eggs sit for 10 minutes. While the eggs are sitting in the hot water, fill a bowl with ice water.Gently place the eggs in a medium-sized saucepan. Cover the eggs completely with water, with at least 1-inch of water above the eggs. Turn the stove onto medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Allow them to boil for just 1 minute. Then turn the heat off, cover the saucepan, and let sit for 10 minutes.
While the eggs sit, prepare to cool them by filling a bowl with enough ice water to cover the eggs. Transfer the cooked eggs to the ice water with a slotted spoon and let sit for about 5 minutes. The goal is to get the eggs cool enough to touch, but not so cold that they are difficult to peel.
Take the eggs out of the water. Tap the top and bottom sides on a flat countertop to crack the shells. Then roll them lengthwise on the counter to crack completely. It may help to peel them while holding them under the surface of the cold water.
Method 2:
Fill a pot with enough water to cover your eggs (before adding them). Bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, use a slotted spoon to slowly add the eggs to the water, making sure not to drop them against the bottom of the pot. Boil for 9 minutes.
Fill a bowl with ice water. Transfer the eggs to the bowl and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.
Remove the eggs and crack on their end by tapping against the counter. Roll them to crack completely, then peel while submerged in the cold water. The shell should slip off easily.
Notes
You can't determine whether an egg is fresh or not just by looking at the shell. While there is a "best by" date, cartons aren't always clear about when an egg was laid, and you might not remember how long eggs have been sitting in the fridge.To double-check that any egg is fresh and safe to eat before boiling, use the "water test:" Place the egg in a glass filled with cold water; eggs that sink are fresh, and eggs that float to the top should be tossed.