Hard Boiled Eggs

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Learn how to make Hard Boiled Eggs perfect every time with this easy recipe. My simple method boils the water first, then cook eggs for 8-10 minutes. You will love that they peels so easily, also without ice bath!

Prep Time2

Cook Time8

Cooling Time10

Total Time20

Course: Breakfast, Main

Cuisine: Gluten-free, High Protein, Keto, Low carb, Vegetarian

Keyword: eggs

Servings: eggs

Ingredients

4 to 6 large eggs cold from the fridge

Instructions

Place a large pot on the stove and fill it with cold water. Ensure the water is enough to cover the eggs by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm).
Turn on the heat to high and bring the water to a rolling boil. Do not cover the pot with a lid.
Once it starts boiling, lower the heat to low/medium heat so that the water is no more bubbling. Use a large spoon or a skimmer to lower the eggs into the pot, being gentle to prevent them from cracking.
Increase the heat back up to medium/high so the water starts boiling gently. Cook 6 minutes for runny yolks, 8 minutes for soft boiled eggs, 10 minutes for hard boiled eggs, and 12 minutes for fully firm yolks.
Prepare the ice bath while eggs are boiling. Fill half of a bowl with cold water and half with ice cubes. If you don't have ice cubes, fill a bowl with cold water only.
Once the eggs are ready, use kitchen tongs, a skimmer or a spoon to remove them from the pot. Place immediately into the ice bath and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
Gently tap them on a hard surface to crack the shell. Start peeling from the wider end where the air pocket is, the shell should come off easily. Run under cool water to remove any residual of shell, then serve or store for later.

Notes

Recommended cooking times

6 minutes: Jammy with runny yolk and soft white.
8 minutes: Perfect soft boiled with soft yolk and firmer white.
10 minutes: Perfect hard boiled with creamy yolk and firm white.
12 minutes: Hard boiled with firmer yolk and fully set white.
14 minutes: Overcooked, with chalky yolk and rubbery white (not recommended).

Storage directions

Store leftovers in the center of the fridge, not the door, for optimal freshness. Unpeeled, they can last up to 6 days, while peeled will stay fresh for up to 4 days.
Freezing hard boiled eggs is not recommended. When frozen and thawed, the whites tend to become rubbery.

Additional tips

This recipe is developed and tested with large sized eggs. If boiling XL eggs increase time by 30 seconds, if using jumbo eggs cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute more.
I recommend cold eggs from the fridge.
Older eggs peel more easily, ideally when they're about one week old.
Use a large pot. For boiling 6, choose a pot with a diameter of at least 7 inches (18 cm), 8 inches (20 cm) even better.
You can add to the water 1 teaspoon of vinegar and/or ½ teaspoon of salt to prevent cracking and facilitate peeling.
Cook no more than 6 eggs at a time.
If you don't have a tray of ice, fill a large bowl with cold tap water to allow the eggs to cool. Be sure to change the water frequently to maintain a cold environment.

Nutrition