This method yields easy peel hard boiled eggs every time – guaranteed!
My friend told me a tip for hard-boiled eggs that I’d never heard before and it was magic. I’ll even go so far as saying it was life changing. Why? Because my family eats a LOT of hard boiled eggs. Plain, salted, sliced on crackers, in egg salad, chopped on a salad… we are egg lovers. And I promise you this method for hard boiling eggs will make them easy to peel every single time!
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So my friend found the method over at BuzzFeed HERE. It’s an extensive article and boy am I glad they decided to go through all the trouble to write up their findings. I decided to make a video of the method because I’ve tried lots of other tips and tricks before that weren’t all they were cracked up to be (pun intended).
Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs:
Easy Peel Hard Boiled Eggs – one dozen eggs at a time:
1. Put about 8 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar in a sauce pan
2. Bring it to a boil
3. Very gently (with a pasta server preferably) lower the eggs into the boiling water and vinegar one at a time. If you don’t do this gently the eggs will crack. But trust me patience is a virtue and totally pays off in the end!
4. Gently simmer the eggs for 14 minutes. I reduced my heat to medium high. Because the eggs were cold it lowered the temperature of the water already.
5. Rinse the eggs in the same pan under cold water and then add some ice cubes. They only need to cool until you can easily handle them.
6. Peel immediately and be amazed!
7. Store the peeled eggs in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for several days.
I’ve read lots of articles claiming the eggs need to be a week or two old to peel easily. With this method that is not necessary at all! I bought the eggs used in my video just one hour before filming. This is seriously the best method for hard boiling eggs. Try it yourself and be amazed.
Green Eggs and Ham Deviled Eggs
Julie | Bunsen Burner Bakery says
This is great – I love hard boiled eggs! You say “for several days” – do you think they’d last a full week or will they dry out too much? I usually hard boil a dozen eggs on the weekend and my toddler and I eat them throughout the following week. I’ve always peeled them when we eat them because I thought they’d dry out too much otherwise!
foodtasticmom says
Right, I used to peel them when we’d eat them too. But most times I’d end up with peels sticking to the egg and a mutilated egg 🙂 So far the longest a dozen has lasted for us (with four people eating) is 3 days. And they were fine. I put a couple of layers of damp paper towels in the bottom of my container. They taste great! Not sure about a week though. You could just do six at a time. To me the convenience of reaching in for an already peeled egg makes me eat more!
Wendy says
If I only boil 6 eggs (I live alone) do I cut water & vinegar in half?
foodtasticmom says
Sorry for the late reply. I’ve never done only six eggs but as long as water and vinegar is about an inch above the eggs you are good.
Dan from Platter Talk says
That is one perfectly cooked egg! Beautiful. I will have to try it your way : ) My neighbors have chickens and are always giving me eggs. Thanks.
Amanda Kanashiro says
I’ll have to try this. I wish I had a neighbor raising chickens next door giving me fresh eggs. Maybe I don’t…That could be a problem in these apartments 🙂
Megan Marlowe says
There is nothing worse than trying to peel and egg and being left with, well, nothing…can’t wait to try your trick to perfect peeled eggs every time!
Carol says
I buy fresh farm eggs and their shells are harder. Was told to take 1/2 cylinder of salt ( a lot) and I put the salt in cold water and dissolve it. Put eggs in pan. Turn heat on and bring to a rolling boil. Immediately put lid on pan and take off the heat. Let set for 15 min. Then transfer the eggs into a metal bowl and run cold water over the eggs. My pans say not to put cold water in a hot pan. Run under cold water and peel as soon as you can handle. It works perfect. No green around the yoke either.
foodtasticmom says
Great suggestions. Thank you!
Geetika says
Boil eggs is a easy method and common to eveyone,but some tricks and tips are quite good.Thank you for sharing.
jducca says
Yes, my mom used this same method for years, and it works! We lived close to an Amish community, so I wonder if this is who my mom may have learned it from.
foodtasticmom says
That’s interesting. I’m thankful to whoever figured it out, that’s for sure!
Nichole says
I will definitely have to try this method although is there any significance to boiling the eggs for 14 minutes? I prefer a little softer boiled egg. I would assume that I would just cut back on cooking time but I’d be disappointed in myself if I was wrong and have them be wasted. Thank you.
foodtasticmom says
I think the 14 minutes is a fully hard boiled egg. There’s a great photo chart at this link showing you the interior of eggs cooked from 3 minutes to 13 minutes – https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/how-to/article/how-to-boil-an-egg
Linda Miller says
I agree chill eggs immediatelt in ice after cooking for 10 minutes
I purchased the Egg Stripper on HSN
Peels 5 eggs in under 10 seconds and it works great
Might make those hard boiled egg lovers life much easier
Definitely worth checking out if interested
Kathy says
Store bought eggs are already weeks old.
Is it the vinegar that helps with the peeling or is it used as a cleaner/disinfect ent?
foodtasticmom says
Eggs from the store are usually delivered between one and seven days from leaving the farm. The 45-day old myth that I also have seen floating around is simply not true. See this article (http://www.askthefarmers.com/how-fast-do-eggs-get-delivered-to-grocery-stores/).
I’m not sure how the science behind this method exactly works but the vinegar works to help when boiling to make the eggs easier to peel. It’s not in the recipe as cleaner or disinfectant as pasteurized eggs are already clean.
Brian Jones says
I’ve never heard of that method, sounds good though, must save for next time round
foodtasticmom says
It really is the best way I have found to hard boil eggs.
georgie says
how easy is that! i love hard boiled eggs for snack but always end up wasting so much of the actual egg!
foodtasticmom says
Exactly – I did too and stopped hard boiling eggs for quite a while before I tried this.
Natalie says
These eggs are cooked perfectly! I have to try your method!
foodtasticmom says
You really do!
Claudia Lamascolo says
These are perfect wow I never have good luck peeling the shells off .. great job!
foodtasticmom says
Thank you!
Beth says
When we had our own hens, I used to buy eggs at the grocery store, because they absolutely wouldn’t peel. I wonder if this will work. I’ll have to give it a try!!
foodtasticmom says
Please try and come back and let us know if it works on fresh from the home/farm eggs!
Heather says
Will they peel as easy if I wait til the next day? We color the eggs in Saturday and I peel in Sunday for deviled eggs for Easter. Thank you
Jeshimon says
First time trying these steps and it worked BEAUTIFULLY. Boiled 12 eggs and every single one peeled with such ease. Thanks for this gift.
foodtasticmom says
Love hearing this. Thank you for the comment!
Janyce H McLin says
My eggs were cool – not ice cold from the fridge, but they also weren’t room temp. Even so, most of them cracked immediately upon immersion in the boiling water. However, after they cooked and I put them into the ice water bath the cracks all sealed up! They peeled like a charm after only 3 minutes in the ice water bath. I will use this method again – so easy!
foodtasticmom says
Glad to hear it!
Patricia says
I just tried this and it worked great. Thank you so much for the tip. I will keep this for sure.
foodtasticmom says
Great to hear, thank you!
Mabel says
How can I tell if eggs are fresh or older. I know 1 floats & 1 sinks. Which?
foodtasticmom says
If they sink and lay flat they are very fresh. If they float they are actually not good to eat anymore.
Margaret Simmons says
I live at 7,000 feet — any change in cooking time for eggs at this altitude (water boils at 200 degrees)
foodtasticmom says
I wasn’t sure so I had to look it up – https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/high-altitude-cooking#top
It does say that it can take longer to cook eggs at high altitude. I’m just not sure exactly how much longer to tell you.
S West says
I just followed this method.and all I can say is WOW!! Eggs peeled so easily and quickly. Follow directions as written and you won’t be disappointed.
foodtasticmom says
So happy my method worked for you. I appreciate you taking the time to comment!
Kathy says
Wow! It was amazing! No more hacked up hard boiled eggs!
So easy!
foodtasticmom says
Yay! So happy you found it!