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Home / BBQ, Potluck and Picnic Dishes

How to Cook Hard Boiled Eggs

A guide to getting the perfect hard boiled egg. No fuss, great results every time.

Erren Hart

|

last Updated:

07/12/2021
5 from 6 votes
Jump to Recipe
Serves: 6
Prep: 1 minute min
Cook: 15 minutes mins
hard boiled eggs cut in half
hard boiled eggs cut in half
A pile of hard boiled eggs sliced in half so you can see the cooked yolk in the center.
hard boiled eggs cut in half
halved hard boiled eggs in a bowl

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Learn how to cook hard boiled eggs to perfection at every turn! This easy method will make them easy to peel with perfectly set yolks.

Use them in Potato Salad, Cobb salad, egg salad sandwiches or simply as a healthy snack.

hard boiled eggs in a ceramic bowl
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The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need

There’s nothing worse than badly cooked hard-boiled egg! If you’ve been disappointed by recipes that produce rubbery eggs with that dreaded gray-green ring around the yolk, you are not alone! Hard boiled eggs are harder to perfect than you’d think, but with this guide and my handy tips, you’ll be making perfect hard cooked eggs every time.

  • The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need
  • Why This Works
  • What Eggs Are Best
  • HowTo Make Hard Boil Eggs
  • How Long to Boil Eggs
  • Adjusting Cooking for High Altitude
  • Storing Instructions ?
  • How to Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
  • Erren’s Top Tips
  • Other Great Guides
  • FAQs
  • Rate This Recipe
  • Recipe

Why This Works

  • Starting with cold water helps prevent cracks due to drastic temperature changes and prevents over cooking.
  • A half teaspoon of salt added to the cooking water helps reduce cracking. If a crack occurs the salt also slows the leaking egg whites.
  • A teaspoon of vinegar helps to make peeling easier.

What Eggs Are Best

Assortment of different color, fresh, chicken eggs in a gray tray

When choosing eggs for hard boiling, it’s best to use eggs that aren’t too fresh as fresher eggs are harder to peel when cooked. Using week old eggs is a good rule of thumb. Just be sure to check the date on the carton and plan accordingly.

On Egg Color: Chicken eggs come in white, brown, blue, green, and everything in between. Whatever the color, they cook in exactly the same way.

HowTo Make Hard Boil Eggs

  1. Place the eggs in a pot of cold water.
  2. Bring the pan to a rolling boil.
  3. Cover and let stand on the burner for 12 to 15 minutes.
  4. Let cool in an ice bath.
  5. Peel and enjoy!

Step By Step Instructions

Place the eggs in a single layer in a pot or saucepan. Add cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches of water.

brown eggs in a pot of water

Heat the pot over high heat and bring the water to a full rolling boil.

A rolling boil is a vigorous, continuous boil where large bubbles erupt constantly on the surface of the water.

brown eggs boiling in a pot of water

Cover the pot with the lid, turn off the burner and place and leave to sit in the hot water for around 15 minutes (read on for more detailed information on cooking times).

metal pot with lid on stove

Remove the eggs from the pan and place in an ice bath for around 15 minutes.

Hard-boiled brown eggs in ice water.

Peel your eggs and serve!

above view of halved hard boiled eggs in a bowl

How Long to Boil Eggs

Cooking time and degree of readiness of boiled eggs

Cooking times may vary depending on the size and freshness of your eggs, stove, cookware, and so much more, but here’s a guide to approximate cooking times based on large eggs.

Soft Boiled Eggs

Yolk FirmnessWhite FirmnessCooking Time
Soft yet Firm YolkSoft yet Runny4-5 minutes
Soft yet Firm YolkSoft6 minutes

Hard Boiled Eggs

Yolk FirmnessWhite FirmnessCooking Time
Creamy YolkFirm7 Minutes
Firm yet Creamy YolkFirm8 Minutes
Firm YolkFully Set9-10 Minutes
Very Firm YolkFully Set11-15 Minutes

Make A Tester Egg – When cooking a large batch eggs, try making an extra egg. Then after 10 minutes, check for doneness by removing it with a slotted spoon, running it under cold water to cool, and cut it open. If it’s not done enough for your liking, Cook the other eggs a minute or two longer.

Adjusting Cooking for High Altitude

Hard cooking eggs at higher altitudes can be a little tricky if you follow a recipe not specifically written for your situation. Here are some tips to make things a little easier, but please note some altitudes may need a little tweaking.

  • Use older eggs instead of fresh. 1 or 2 weeks old are best.
  • Use room temperature eggs – 15-20 minutes on the counter is a good rule of thumb.
  • Boil the eggs on a rolling boil for 15 minutes instead of leaving them to sit in the pot off the heat. Then leave them in the pot off the heat, uncovered for a further 3 minutes.

Storing Instructions ?

Stored in the refrigerator, hard boiled eggs will keep for about 7 days.

For best results, keep hard boiled eggs in their shells until you’re ready to serve them.

How to Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

peeled boiled egg on white background

Fresher eggs are harder to peel. Using week old eggs for hard boiling makes things easier.

  1. Cool the eggs before peeling.
  2. Crackle the shell – crack the entire egg shell all by gently tapping it on a hard surface.
  3. Gently roll it between your hands to loosen the shell.
  4. Then place it under cold running water or immerse it in a bowl.
  5. Peel the egg in the water starting from the larger end.

Erren’s Top Tips

  • Make a tester – When finding the right cooking time for your To check for doneness, by removing it with a spoon, running it under cold water, and cutting it open. If it’s not done enough for my taste, I’ll cook the other eggs a minute or two longer.
  • It’s important to let the water come to a full rolling boil. A rolling boil is a vigorous, continuous boil where large bubbles erupt constantly on the surface of the water.
  • If you want the yolks in the center of the eggs, store the raw eggs upside down before boiling, this helps counter the yolk.
  • Don’t skip the ice bath. This helps to avoid the unsightly green tinge to the cooked yolk. Transferring the eggs to the ice bath stops the cooking process. It also aids the shell peeling process, separating the membrane from the shell.

Other Great Guides

  • How To Melt Chocolate
  • How To Make A Pie Crust
  • How To Thaw Frozen Shrimps & Prawns
  • A Guide To Freezing Leftovers & Make Ahead Meals

FAQs


Why do egg shells stick to boiled eggs?

Fresh eggs tend to stick to the shell when boiled because they have a high acid content. An older egg has lower acidity and makes it less likely to stick to the shell when boiled.

How do you hard boil eggs so they peel easily?

Using eggs that aren’t too fresh with a little vinegar and salt in the cooking water helps to make peeling easier.

Can you boil eggs straight from the fridge?

Yes you can (as in the method above) but do not place them into boiling water, the shells will crack. Start with cold water and bring to the boil.

Should I peel hard boiled eggs before refrigerating?

If you aren’t using the eggs straight away it’s best to leave them in the shell when placing in the refrigerator. Cooked eggs in the shell will last in the fridge for up to a week.

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halved hard boiled eggs in a bowl

Recipe

How to Cook Hard Boiled Eggs

A guide to getting the perfect hard boiled egg. No fuss, great results every time.
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin
Prep Time: 1 minute min
Cook Time: 15 minutes mins
cooling: 5 minutes mins
Total Time: 21 minutes mins
Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar (optional*)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (optional*)

Instructions

  • Place the eggs in a single layer in a pot or saucepan. Add cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches of water.
  • Cook over high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil.
  • Cover the pot and let stand on the burner for 12- 15 minutes.
  • Place the cooked eggs into an ice bath and let soak until cool.
  • Peel the eggs (or leave in their shells and refrigerate for later use).

Tips

*A little vinegar and salt in the cooking water helps to make peeling easier.
  • It’s important to let the water come to a full rolling boil. A rolling boil is a vigorous, continuous boil where large bubbles erupt constantly on the surface of the water.
  • If you want the yolks in the center of the eggs, store the raw eggs upside down before boiling, this helps counter the yolk.
  • Don’t skip the ice bath. This helps to avoid the unsightly green tinge to the cooked yolk. Transferring the eggs to the ice bath stops the cooking process. It also aids the shell peeling process, separating the membrane from the shell.
Show Nutrition Hide Nutrition

Nutrition

Calories: 63 | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 256mg | Potassium: 61mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 238IU | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg
Created by Erren Hart
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5 from 6 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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10 responses

  1. Erren Hart Avatar
    Erren Hart
    11/22/2021

    So happy to hear it! Thanks for stopping by and sharing!

    Reply
  2. Erren Hart Avatar
    Erren Hart
    08/26/2021

    Yay! So glad to hear it! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know!

    Reply
  3. Erren Hart Avatar
    Erren Hart
    08/16/2021

    So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by and sharing! 🙂

    Reply
  4. Saskia Avatar
    Saskia
    07/28/2021

    I have always struggled with getting the perfect boiled egg, not now! Thank you for this!

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      07/28/2021

      I’m so happy I could help 🙂

      Reply
  5. Sarah Jo Avatar
    Sarah Jo
    07/27/2021

    I could never figure out how to hard boil eggs without the green tinge until now! Thanks, Erren!

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      07/27/2021

      That’s so great! Thanks for taking the time to let me know! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Doris J Avatar
    Doris J
    07/12/2021

    For the longest time I did not know how to boil eggs the correct way. As easy as this recipe may seem to some, I think it is a must to have on your site for the new cooks! Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      07/12/2021

      Yay! Love that.

      Reply
  7. Jill Avatar
    Jill
    07/12/2021

    This is such great information! Thanks, Erren!

    Reply
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