'Foolproof' way to cook easy-to-peel boiled eggs - three rules you should always follow

Boiled eggs are a staple food item in breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes, but peeling the hard shell can make this protein-packed ingredient less enjoyable to cook with. Culinary experts have shared the three fundamentals that make them easier to peel.

By Phoebe Cornish, Senior Lifestyle Reporter

Hard boiled egg halved/ peeling eggs

Chef's share 'foolproof' method for peeling hard boiled eggs (Image: GETTY)

Eggshells have no place on your plate but peeling them away from the cooked white core can be a tricky task - particularly when they're hot. While clearing up tiny fragments of the shell is one annoyance faced by many people, losing chunks of the egg itself is much worse. experts have shared the "best" method to make it less of a tedious task, and it starts by swapping fresh eggs for older ones.

Ditch fresh eggs

Lisa Steele, chicken keeper and author of The Fresh Eggs Daily Cookbook explained that from a scientific perspective, the best way to peel an egg and keep the white "intact" is to use old eggs.

She said that the older the eggs, the "easier" it is to peel them once cooked, adding that two-week-old eggs are "ideal" for smooth whites and absolutely no shell.

While fresh eggs are best for poaching and frying, using up your older eggs for boiling allows you to harness the power of the hot water to separate the shell from the inner liquid.

Choosing "aged" produce is one way to guarantee easy peeling, though the cooking method is just as important if you want to master the art of perfect hard-boiled eggs. 

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Peeling eggs

Peeling eggs can be tricky without ruining the white (Image: Getty)

Steam, don't boil

According to Lisa, steaming the eggs rather than boiling them is the simplest change you can make to remove hard shells with less fuss - no matter how old they are.

She said: "Even eggs that were laid that morning peel easily every time. It's foolproof!"

It may not be the most traditional way to boil eggs, but steaming is generally considered better as it gently cooks the egg. Boiling water can cause the eggs to vibrate against each other and crack prematurely.

When this happens, the whites can escape into the water, ruining the uniform shape you may have hoped for.

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Always cool your eggs

Enjoying hard-boiled eggs while they are still hot is nearly impossible when you spend ages trying to remove the hard outer layer, but it can be easily remedied.

Lisa noted that placing them in a bowl of water and ice as soon as they're done cooking is the best fix, adding: "The combination of steaming the eggs and then immediately shocking them in ice water is magic."

If you only have one or two eggs, you don't even need to use a bowl to cool down the layers. Instead, run them under extremely cold tap water for about 15 seconds before peeling.

That's not nearly enough time for the eggs to get cold, but it is long enough to make them much easier to handle and guarantee a golden yolk.

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Cooking Boiled egg - food preparation.

Boiling eggs can cause the shell to crack in the water while cooking (Image: Getty)

Another benefit of blasting cooked eggs with cold water is that it stops the cooking process, which can prevent the "unsightly" green-grey-toned ring from forming between the yolk and the white.

Lisa explained that this is usually the result of the sulphur in egg white mixing with iron in the yolk. She said: "It usually happens because you're overcooking the egg or they're cooling too slowly."

If you've already cooked your eggs and are struggling to peel them, the shaking method is another quick fix. 

Put two or three eggs in a plastic container with a splash of water and shake vigorously. The motion will help release the white and yolk from the outer film and shell.

How to cook a boiled egg

To achieve the perfect consistency inside a boiled egg, timing is everything. Lisa said: "You need to know what size of eggs you're using (medium, large, or jumbo) to work out how long you should cook them for. Most people cook large eggs, which require 10 to 12 minutes."

She added that when cooking a medium- or jumbo-sized egg, you can just decrease or increase the cooking time by approximately one minute, depending on how firm or jammy you like your yolk to be.

The timings for a fully-cooked yolk are as follows:

  • Medium eggs: 8-10 minutes
  • Large eggs: 10 to 12 minutes
  • Extra-large eggs: 12 to 14 minutes
To cook your eggs, place them in a saucepan and cover them with one inch of water. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat and as soon as the water reaches a boil, cover the pot and set a timer for 10 to 12 minutes. 

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