How to Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs

5 from 37 votes

How to Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs

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.

Prep Time3

Cook Time10

Total Time13

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: People

Author: Katie Workman

Ingredients

6 Eggs
Water (as needed)

Instructions

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.
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.

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.

Nutrition