How to Hard Boil an Egg • Feed the Mail

Here's how to hard boil an egg, which might seem tricky, but with a simple method, you can make them just the way you like them every time.

Hard Boiled Eggs cooking times chart with images.

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Here's how to do it
How Long to Cook the Eggs?
How to Quickly Cool Hard-Boiled Eggs
How to Easily Peel Hard-Boiled Eggs
More Cooking Tips
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Here's how to do it

1. Start by putting the eggs in a saucepan filled with cold water. Make sure the eggs are covered by about an inch of water.

2. Turn on the heat and wait for the water to come to a rolling boil. Once it's boiling, let it continue for a bit.

3. While the water is boiling, prepare an ice bath. Just fill a big bowl halfway with ice and add water to cover it.

4. Turn off the heat and cover the pan. Leave the eggs in the hot water for a certain amount of time, depending on how you like your eggs. Check the cooking times below.

5. After the right amount of time, gently crack the eggs. Take them out of the water and tap them on the countertop to crack the shells a bit. (Note: Skip this step if if you're planning to dye them for Easter.)

6. Put the cracked eggs into the ice bath. Leave them there for at least a minute.

Now, you can peel the eggs and enjoy them!

Storage: Refrigerate any unused eggs, still in their shells, within 2 hours. They can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week.

How Long to Cook the Eggs?

Here are some suggested cooking times for boiled eggs, depending on how you like them:

3 minutes: For runny soft-boiled eggs (with barely set whites).

4 minutes: For slightly runny soft-boiled eggs.

6 minutes: For custardy yet firm soft-boiled eggs.

10 minutes: For firm yet still creamy hard-boiled eggs.

15 minutes: For very firm hard-boiled eggs.

Note: You might need to adjust these times a bit to get your perfect egg.

How to Quickly Cool Hard-Boiled Eggs

To stop the cooking process and cool your boiled eggs quickly, use an ice bath. Fill a bowl halfway with ice cubes and cover them with water. Leave the eggs in the ice bath for at least a minute, or up to 15 minutes to cool them completely.

How to Easily Peel Hard-Boiled Eggs

Peeling hard-boiled eggs can be tricky, but these tips can help:

Use older eggs if possible, as they're easier to peel.
Crack the eggs gently before chilling them in the ice bath to loosen the membrane between the shell and the egg white.
Cool the eggs completely in the ice bath before peeling to make the process easier.

By following these steps, you'll be able to make perfect boiled eggs every time!