Refresher Course on Boiling an Egg

[NJCher]

A week or two ago I made potato salad and was I ever sorry. Peeling those eggs was a most tedious experience! Not only that, but there was a lot of waste because so much of the egg white was stuck to the eggshell.

Tonight I needed some hardboiled eggs for salad and I decided to read up on how to do it so the eggs would peel easily. I found these directions, followed them almost to the letter, and was very pleased with how they came out. They peeled easily. It took only seconds to peel each egg. I'm keeping these directions taped to the inside cabinet door until this is second nature.

Here's the link to the method I followed:

http://www.ehow.com/PrintArticle.html?id=2386971

The only thing I didn't do was add salt to the water. I didn't do that because I like to save that water for my plants.




Cher

[Dover]

1. Well that was interesting. I'll have to try it tomorrow.

Especially the pinhole trick.
And I love soft boiled eggs but have never eaten one directly out of the shell, so will try
that too. Thanks for the refresher course!


I've read that epsom salt is good for adding to garden soil, but I'm guessing that using
regular table salt water on plants might not be a good idea.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=gardening%2C+epson+salt&btnG=Search

Studies show that magnesium and sulfur, two components of Epsom Salt may:

Help seeds germinate
Make plants grow bushier
Produce more flowers
Increase chlorophyll production
Improve phosphorus and nitrogen uptake

[MagickMuffin]

2. Here's how I boil mine

Place eggs in a pan of enough water to cover. After it starts boiling set timer for about three minutes, then turn off heat and cover pan for 10 minutes with the hot water still in the pan. Drain and add cold icy water until the eggs have cooled down.

Crack the top of the eggs to break the membrane and usually this will help with peeling the eggs without the whites peeling with the shells.

I used to do the pin prick until I learned this other method, which I like a whole lot better.

I hope you try this method to see if you like it better.

[hippywife]

3. This is the method I've started using, too,

ever since we had that long thread about it a few months or so back. I was having trouble because the eggs I use are very fresh and wouldn't peel well, but this method works for me.

[MagickMuffin]

7. Sara Molten said this is the method Julia Child used

I've been using this method since I Sara use it and never have green yolks. The yolks are buttery yellow and soft.

I learned the pin prick method from Jacques Papin, I tried that method and found that I would sometimes end up sticking myself. OUCH

[Gormy Cuss]

4. The lazy way to hard boil eggs.

Room temp eggs
1)Place eggs in saucepan and cover with cold water at least 1 inch over the tops.
2)Rapidly bring water to a boil. Remove from heat.
3) Let stand 22-24 minutes, depending on the size of the eggs.
4)Drain and cool in cold water.

This method had a soft boil version too but I didn't like the results.

[Tab]

5. The proper way to boil an egg

(and I don't even like to eat eggs)

Put the eggs in a pan with room-temperature water
Bring to a boil
Shut off the heat
Wait until it cools

What happens when you do it this way - and it still will take 10 to 20 mins - is that you allow the nitrogren to redistribute, thus getting rid of that ugly grey ring around everything.

[NashVegas]

6. Hmmm

What I do:

Cold eggs, at least one week old.

fill pan with enough water to cover by 1 inch when they're all in (eggs will displace water)

add eggs

when water starts to boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and leave it for 25 minutes.

plunge them in cold water, then go do something.

start tapping near the top to peel, and roll 'em on a cutting board to break up and loosen the shell.