Another

random recipe?
Traffic
  • Recipe seen 308,046 times
    • Rating
    • Already noted 40 times
    • Average note : 2.1/3





How to cook hard-boiled eggs properly

How to cook hard-boiled eggs properly
A hard-boiled egg is properly cooked when: shell is not broken, white and yolk are firm, yolk is only yellow with no traces of green around it. Here are some tips to make this easy.
- Add this recipe to my binder (Read more...)
- Follow this recipe
- Post a comment about this recipe
- See comments on this recipe
Short version - Short version with photos
Recipe as slideshow
Pdf short version
- Send this recipe to a friend
- E-mail me about this recipe
- Subscribe to news list
- List of recipes in category
- List of all the recipes

Other recipes of the same category

 Tips and tricks
  Cooking
How to cook bacon and remove excess fatHow to cook Morteau sausage well

For 4 eggs, you will need:



Nutritional information:

Whole recipe
Calories
384
19%
Proteins
31g
12%
Carbohydrates
0g
0%
Fats
29g
4%
 Per 100 g 
Calories
160
8%
Proteins
13g
5%
Carbohydrates
0g
0%
Fats
12g
2%

% are calculated relative to a Recommended Dietary Intake or RDI of 2000 k-calories by day for a woman (change to a man).

Times:

Preparation : 8 min.
Resting : 1 hour 10 min.
Cooking : 10 min.
Start to finish : 1 hour 28 min.
Preservation : A few days in the fridge, in a closed jar.


At what time?

At what time will I finish if I start at...?
At what time should I start if I want to finish at...?
Work that out...

How much will it cost?

 For 4 eggs : 0.70 €
 Per eggs : 0.18 €

 Change currency:

 Note : These prices are only approximate. Read more...



Step by step recipe:

First problem: how to prevent shell from breaking (as in this photo) and white spilling out into the water while cooking?

Egg shells break during cooking for two reasons:

1) Temperature difference, if they go straight from the fridge to boiling water, the shell always (or nearly always) breaks.

Solution: remove your eggs from the fridge at least one hour before cooking.

Note : Eggs don't need to be kept in the fridge.

 How to cook hard-boiled eggs properly : Photo of step #1
2) Because in the bottom part of the egg, the broader end, there is an air pocket (in red on the diagram), and when cooking this air expands and eventually breaks the shell.

You will notice that the older the egg is, the bigger the air pocket, so the risk of the shell breaking is greater with an old egg than a fresh one.

 How to cook hard-boiled eggs properly : Photo of step #2
Solution: You need to pierce the air pocket so that the air can escape during cooking.

To do this you can use big needle or a small nail (as in the photo), push in it a few millimetres.

 How to cook hard-boiled eggs properly : Photo of step #3
The aim is to just pierce the air pocket and to make a very small hole. How to cook hard-boiled eggs properly : Photo of step #4
Boil a pan of water, and lower in your pierced eggs gently, using a tablespoon.

Leave to cook 10 minutes, no more.

 How to cook hard-boiled eggs properly : Photo of step #5
If eggs cook longer, yolks will became yellow-green (as in this photo), and develop a sulphurous taste and smell, and white will become rubbery. How to cook hard-boiled eggs properly : Photo of step #6
To demonstrate the effect of piercing: on left a pierced egg (shell intact), on right an un-pierced egg (shell broken). How to cook hard-boiled eggs properly : Photo of step #7
Cool eggs immediately by putting them into cold water. How to cook hard-boiled eggs properly : Photo of step #8
To remove the shell, tap the bottom of the egg on your work surface to break it. How to cook hard-boiled eggs properly : Photo of step #9
Do the same with the top of the egg. How to cook hard-boiled eggs properly : Photo of step #10
Roll the egg round with your hand to break all the shell. How to cook hard-boiled eggs properly : Photo of step #11
Then remove the shell, as if peeling the egg. How to cook hard-boiled eggs properly : Photo of step #12
Wash the egg to remove any small pieces of shell, and leave in cold water, or covered in the fridge, until using. How to cook hard-boiled eggs properly : Photo of step #13
Another way to cook, probably priceless: Fill the pan with cold water to submerge the eggs (drilled) and bring to boil.

When boiling is reached, cover, remove from heat and let stay for 10 minutes.

It seems to me that with this way of cooking, for mysterious reasons, the eggs are a bit difficult to peel.		 How to cook hard-boiled eggs properly : Photo of step #14

Remarks:

Gaston Lenôtre, in his books, say that boiling water for eggs should be salted and vinegared. Probably because egg shells are porous, and so that salted water can salt the egg when cooking?

I've tried it, but I don't taste a real difference. What about you?

Recipes which use it: 8

Of which:
Mimosa eggsCaesar saladLeeks in vinaigrette Crispy spinach rollsGratin slices with spinach

Search the recipes.

Source:

Home made.

Last modified on: September 29th 2012

Back to top of page



You might also like:

How to cook Morteau sausage wellHow to cook pasta properlyHow to cook rice in rice-cookerBoiling potatoes in their skinsThe fastest type of hobHow to cook red meat properlyHow to grill salmon wellHow to fry eggs well
Nota: Rollover photos with your mouse to see recipe title.


Post a comment or question:

You are welcome, if you wish, to comment on this recipe: why you like it or not, what you have changed, what results it gave, point out a mistake or omission, etc. You can also ask a question. I answer all questions (in a broken English, sorry) unless someone else does it before me.
Please feel free to say what you think, I'm always very interested in your opinion. Your comment will appear on line with the recipe, so please write in standard readable English, not SIM or only in CAPITALS, otherwise your comment may be rejected.

Please look at advice for submitting a comment or image (what you should or should not do). By the way, don't type your e-mail address in the comment, otherwise you might be spammed.

Your first name or pseudo: (optional).

Please check/tick this box to show that you are a real human being (protection against Spam)*.


I am not a leaving thing

                                   

You can also get a RSS feed on last comments of this recipe.

Back to top of page


Follow this recipe

If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow", ie you enter here your e-mail address, and then each time the recipe is modified, or commented, you will immediately receive a personal e-mail to warn you.
Note: You will need to confirm that you want to follow this recipe.
My e-mail address is:

Please check/tick this box to show that you are a real human being (protection against Spam).


I am not a leaving thing