Test Kitchen

How to hard boil and peel eggs easily

Our guide takes you through everything from how long to boil your eggs to the easiest ways to peel them for shell-free results. Perfect hard-boiled eggs, every time? Coming right up!
how to hard boil and peel eggs

Knowing how to boil an egg is one kitchen skill everyone should master. Not only can they hold their own in your savoury breakfasts, they also work wonderfully in salads and noodles, and are essential for a classic scotch egg.

Getting them perfect, however, is a feat in itself. From hoping your yolks aren’t runny to finding rogue pieces of shell stuck on your egg whites, there’s nothing quite as frustrating as coming to the realisation that you have to start from scratch.

So, to take the guesswork out of making hard-boiled eggs, we’ve  asked our Test Kitchen team for their tried-and-tested tips. Our step-by-step guide will have you turning them out perfectly in no time.

How long to boil an egg

There are some things to keep in mind when learning how to boil an egg perfectly. First, you’ll need to start with fresh eggs that are at room temperature (not straight out of the fridge).

Then, as precision is key when hard-boiling eggs, always use a kitchen timer – it’ll ensure you know how long to boil eggs, as cooking them any longer than necessary will turn the yolks dark and rubbery.

Finally, never use fast boiling water; a gentle simmer is all they need.

Once you have that committed to memory, it’s as simple as the following steps.

Step 1: Place egg into a small saucepan and cover with cold water; by about 1cm. Bring to the boil over medium heat.

Step 2: Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes if you like a softer centre; 6 minutes if you like it cooked all the way through.

Step 3: Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and transfer to an egg cup. Slice off tops and serve.

How to centre hard-boiled egg yolks

For dishes that require beautiful presentation, such as an egg salad, you may want to centre the egg yolk. To do this:

Step 1: Place egg into a small saucepan and cover with cold water; by about 1cm. Bring to the boil over medium heat.

Step 2: As the water comes up to the boil give the egg a good stir.

Step 3: When the water is boiling, give the egg another 9 minutes in the water.

Easy!

How to peel a boiled egg

Wondering how to peel boiled eggs without destroying the egg white?  It can be tricky business!

Luckily, we have a couple egg peeling tricks up our sleeve to how to remove the shell without taking most of the white with it.

THE EASY WAY TO PEEL HARD BOILED EGGS – ONE

Step 1: Boil your eggs then run cold water over them for about a minute until they’re cool enough to handle.

Step 2: Gently smash them, one at a time, against the side of the sink until they’re finely cracked all over.

Step 3: Return the eggs to the pan and submerge in cold water for about 5 minutes.

Step 4: Drain then pull away the shells and membrane – they should come off easily.

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THE EASY WAY TO PEEL HARD BOILED EGGS – TWO

Step 1: Boil your eggs then run cold water over them for about a minute until they’re cool enough to handle.

Step 2: Using a sharp knife, cut your cooled, hard-boiled egg lengthways.

Step 3: With a tablespoon, gently scoop out each half of your egg.

So there you have it – perfectly smooth hard-boiled eggs are now at your fingertips and they’ll be ready in just minutes!

 

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