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.
1 hour 30 min.
Easy
4 eggs
1 IngredientLast modified on: November 4th 2013
For 4 eggs, you will need:
4 
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 8 min.
Resting: 1 hour 10 min.
Cooking: 10 min.
All in all: 1 hour 30 min.
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Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 1 hour
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.
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.
Stage 2
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.
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.
Stage 3 - 1 min.
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.
To do this you can use big needle or a small nail (as in the photo), push in it a few millimetres.
Stage 4
The aim is to just pierce the air pocket and to make a very small hole.
Stage 5 - 10 min.
Boil a pan of water, and lower in your pierced eggs gently, using a tablespoon.
Leave to cook 10 minutes, no more.
Leave to cook 10 minutes, no more.
Stage 6
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.
Stage 7
To demonstrate the effect of piercing: on left a pierced egg (shell intact), on right an un-pierced egg (shell broken).
Stage 8 - 10 min.
Cool eggs immediately by putting them into cold water.
Stage 9
To remove the shell, tap the bottom of the egg on your work surface to break it.
Stage 10
Do the same with the top of the egg.
Stage 11
Roll the egg round with your hand to break all the shell.
Stage 12 - 5 min.
Then remove the shell, as if peeling the egg.
Stage 13 - 2 min.
Wash the egg to remove any small pieces of shell, and leave in cold water, or covered in the fridge, until using.
Stage 14
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.
When boiling is reached, cover, remove from heat and let stay for 10 minutes.
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?
I've tried it, but I don't taste a real difference. What about you?
Keeping: A few days in the fridge, in a closed jar.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 30 RDI=10 % | 0 | 20 RDI=3 % | 290 RDI=20 % | 1,220 RDI: 20 % |
| Per 100 g | 10 RDI=5 % | 0 | 10 RDI=2 % | 150 RDI=7 % | 610 RDI: 7 % |
| Per eggs | 6 RDI=2 % | 0 | 5 RDI=1 % | 70 RDI=4 % | 310 RDI: 4 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 4 eggs : 0.60 €
- Per eggs : 0.15 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
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The 6 comments already posted on this recipe
pierce the eggs. Maybe they will shell easier.
This is true in countries that do not wash eggs but in countries that do eggs must be kept refrigerated.
The washing process strips away the natural protection of the egg.