It can be annoying to peel hard-boiled eggs because the shells will not come off the egg whites. But cooks use a simple trick that can really make a difference. You can always get perfectly peeled hard-boiled eggs if you follow a few simple steps.
To start, you need to use older eggs. The egg whites stick to the shell of fresh eggs because the pH level is lower. On the other hand, eggs that are 7–10 days old are much easier to peel.
You can also spice up the water by adding a tablespoon or a teaspoon of baking soda. Both of these things help break down the link between the egg white and the shell, which makes it easy to peel.
It’s important to cool the eggs down quickly after boiling them. Putting the eggs in a bath of ice water or running cold water over them for at least 10 minutes helps the egg separate from the shell, which makes peeling easy.
Use the “crack and roll” method to peel the eggs. Use light taps on a hard surface and rolling the egg in your hand will crack the shell all over. Peel from the bigger end, where there is usually a bubble of air.
To make the process even smoother, peel the eggs while they are running water. The cold water helps break up small pieces of shell and wash them away.
Lastly, you might want to steam your eggs instead of cooking them. If you steam something for 12 to 15 minutes, the steam can make peeling easier because it goes deeper into the shell more slowly.
If you follow these easy steps, you’ll always have perfectly peeled hard-boiled eggs. You can use this trick whether you’re a professional chef or a home cook. It will make your life easier and your eggs look better.
