Cooking

How-To: Hard Cook Eggs

  1. How-To

How to Make the Perfect Hard-Cooked Eggs

If you have ever been frustrated while peeling hard-cooked eggs because you take half of the egg white off with the shell, then you are not alone – we can help! No matter how you choose to cook the eggs, follow our easy instructions and get the perfect results. So, go ahead with confidence and make those delicious egg salad sandwiches or devilled eggs you have been wanting.

Hard-cooked eggs are so versatile to eat by themselves or add to other dishes. They are easy to prepare and can be cooked in different ways.

  • Basic method for boiling:
    1. Place large eggs in a single layer in a saucepan. Cover with 1-2 inches of cold water above the tops of the eggs. 
    2. Cover saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 
    3. Remove from heat and let the saucepan sit for 22 minutes. For extra-large eggs, add about 2 minutes. 
    4. Carefully remove eggs from saucepan and put into a large bowl of water with ice cubes. Cool completely. 
    5. Tap eggs all over in ice water and peel under cool running water.
  • Steaming on the stovetop:
    1. Place a steamer basket into a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add at least 1 inch water to the pot but do not let water touch the eggs.  
    2. Cover and bring water to a boil over medium-high heat. 
    3. Add a single layer of eggs to the steamer basket. Cover saucepan and continue cooking. 
    4. Cook up to 13 minutes. 
    5. Carefully remove eggs from saucepan and put into a large bowl of water with ice cubes. Cool completely. 
    6. Tap eggs all over in ice water and peel under cool running water. 
  • Steaming in a pressure cooker:
    1. Place a rack or trivet in the bottom of the pressure cooker pot. Add 1 cup of water to the pot. 
    2. Add a single layer of eggs onto the rack, bring to high pressure and cook for 4 minutes.   
    3. Do a natural release for 5 minutes, then a quick release. 
    4. Carefully remove eggs from the pressure cooker pot and put them into a large bowl of water with ice cubes. Cool completely.  
    5. Tap eggs all over in ice water and peel under cool running water. 
  • More handy tips for hard-cooked eggs:
    • Always store raw eggs in their carton in the body of the refrigerator, not on the door. 
    • Eggs that have been stored in the refrigerator for a week prior to cooking will be easier to remove from their shells than fresher eggs. 
    • To prevent eggs from cracking, before cooking, pierce the large end of the eggshell with a needle.  
    • Cooling quickly in ice water will reduce the chances of a green ring around the yolk. 
    • To make ahead, leave eggs in shells, remove from ice water, dry and refrigerate. 
    • Hard-cooked eggs in shells can be refrigerated for up to 7 days.

Try these egg-cellent egg recipes:

  • Easy
    Cobb Salad
    View Recipe
  • Easy
    Pickled Eggs
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  • Easy
    Curried Devilled Eggs
    View Recipe