When I was a kid I do not remember having any trouble with the perfect hard boiled egg! Well, I do have to consider that my Mom was in charge! As an adult I can’t say I have had the successes that my Mom has had in the kitchen arena, just ask my husband!
Growing up a country girl in the mid-west, we, of course, had chickens. I did not live on a farm, so not a farm girl but definitely consider myself a country girl. I have been married to a city boy for close to 38 years now, but I’m still a county girl at heart. My family owned just enough acreage to raise our own beef, pork, chickens, always a horse to ride, and a very large garden. It wasn’t uncommon for my dad to take on a new critter project from time to time, often to my Mom’s dismay but to us kids’ delight! Goats, rabbits, a stray raccoon, opossum, bird, duck, pigeon, or whatever we kids could catch. My Mom’s parents live at the end of the lane, which added a whole new level of adventure. It was a great time and place to grow up.
Farm Fresh Eggs
Fresh eggs were plentiful unless a fox got in the hen house and got them so riled up they would quit laying for a few days!! Our eggs were big and brown with rich colored yolks and thick shells, unlike the puny little white things they try to pass off as eggs in the grocery store nowadays.
If you can find a local farmer that you can buy fresh farm eggs from, the kind of place that when you pull up the drive the chickens are happily pecking and scratching in the yard, that is the kind of egg that will nourish the body. I encourage you to go out of your way and find that kind of eggs. If that is simply not in your realm at this time, don’t be cheap, buy the organic or at least cage free variety of eggs available at your supper market. Most of the time the shells are a little thick.
Plan Ahead is Always Best
The first thing that I try to do when I know that I am going to need hard boiled eggs is to buy them ahead of time. I believe there are two tricks to easy peel hard boiled eggs. The first trick is to use older eggs. I know there are a lot of tricks out there that work but this is the one I rely on consistently. If the occasion comes along that you can not plan a head then use one of the many other tricks out there. Maybe I will write a review on those other tricks one of these days. I need to add that idea to my notes.
The second trick is the technique of cooking the egg. Once you are ready to make the perfect hard boiled egg, take your eggs out of the refrigerator so they begin to get room temperature as you put your water on to boil. Then take these steps:
1. Lower your eggs into already-boiling water. Or place them in a steamer insert in a covered pot steaming at full blast on the stovetop. If you are not using a steamer insert, then I suggest using a metal pasta spoon to lower the eggs into the boiling water. ( I am not a plastic utensil fan.)
2. If boiling, lower the heat to the barest simmer.
3. Cook the eggs for 11 minutes for hard or 6 minutes for soft.
4. Serve. If serving cold, shock them in ice water immediately. Let them chill in the water for at least 15 minutes, or better yet, in the fridge overnight. Peel under cool running water.
Additional Key Tips
It is that simple. It is key to have your eggs close to room temperature and your water already boiling. Lower eggs in carefully as to not crack them. If you have a steamer insert to use, I recommend using it. Also, it is important to use a timer. A little over is fine, especially if your eggs are very cold, but not too much over or they will get that nasty grayish-green color to the yolks. I don’t care for their texture when they are overcooked either.
As a general rule, I do not peel my eggs until I am ready to use them. There is some disagreement as to how long a peeled egg lasts in the refrigerator. An unpeeled egg most agree will remain safe for a week.
Now you are ready to make your appetizer or maybe the egg is the main course. The perfect hard boiled egg is very versatile. Whether it is for you and your family or for that grand family reunion. Hopefully, you have found this article helpful and will refer to it over and over. I enjoyed sharing some of my life and this simple technique for the perfect hard boiling egg. I’m not sure where I got these instructions. I think that they came out of an old recipe book that I added my personal comments to over the years.
Now that Easter is quickly coming, there is a great use for this recipe. I invite you to visit my page that I shared a few facts about the Easter Egg and my top 5 decorating eggs favorites. I included instructions, pictures, and where I found the ideas. Unfortunately, I am simply not creative enough to have done them all on my own. It’s a fun page that I think is worth your time to visit. Also, I invite you to sign up for my emails. I promise I won’t fill your inbox. Thanks for sharing this page with me and hopefully with a friend.
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