A Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg Recipe (2024)

No offense to Julia's method, but I have searched for years to find the elusive secret of how to make the perfect hard boiled egg; one that is perfectly cooked, with shells that come off easily. These dudes on Buzzfeed tackled the task and came up with the answer. Works like a charm: 1. bring water to a boil BEFORE adding eggs, adding a teaspoon of vinegar. 2. Add eggs, gently boil for exactly 14 minutes. 3. run under color water (or place in ice bath). Voila.

Confusing. If you leave the eggs to cool in the cooking water for two hours, will you not get that gray ring around the yolk?

Cover cold eggs with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Pour off hot water immediately and replace with cold water. As soon as the eggs are cool enough to handle, crack all around, roll between palms and the shells come right off (similar to peeling a garlic clove). Yolks will be tender and yellow!! I’ve been doing this for 25 years and have never had a problem. Once boiled the eggs are harder to peel the colder they are, so peel them right away.

I am 80 years old.For my entire adult life I have searched for a foolproof method for cooking hard boiled eggs that peel easily and have no gray coating on the yolks. Susan H’s method is foolproof.Put eggs in boiling water to which 1 teaspoon vinegar has been added. Boil gently for 14 minutes then submerge in cold water.Bravo!

Julia Child says to put eggs in cold water, boil for 10, plunge eggs into cold water for a minute, then put them back in the boiling water for a minute, then cold water. The shells don't stick with this method. But I find it much easier to simply prick the large end with a needle (embedded in a cork), boil for ten, then cool in cold water and peel. Works every time for me.

Fresh eggs will not peel as well as older eggs no matter how many tricks you employ.

14 will definitely cook the egg all the way through but the center will be hard and dry, not creamy.

I have tried this recipe several times and succeeded in cooking hard boiled eggs to the desired level; however, the shells never came off cleanly. I found another recipe that works perfectly, including the shell removal: 1) Bring water to a boil; 2) Add a teaspoon of baking soda; 3) Gently place eggs in the boiling water; 4) Bring water back to a gentle boil; 5) Set timer for 12 minutes; 6) Set up an ice bath; 7) At the 12-minute mark, place eggs in the ice bath until fully cooled, then store;

Press a thumbtack through the fat end of the shell (really!) prior to submerging eggs into boiling water. Set the timer for 14" (or 12 1/2" if you like the center of the yolk to be cooked but not completely "hard"), then boil gently. When the timer goes off, immediately transfer eggs to a prepared ice bath.Yolks are creamy, bright yellow and perfect every time. My understanding is that the hole allows the sulfur to escape during cooking.

If you are using pastered raised chicken eggs, the timing will be different. I found that more time is needed unless you want the jellied yolk.

Fullroof. Prick each egg with an ice pick or similar tool. Fill pan with cold water. Bring water to a boil, add eggs, boil 10 minutes run cold water over eggs. Shells are easy peasy to peel.

Perfect eggs everytime, even at 5000 feet. The eggs must be at room temperature to begin with, and the inch of extra water is important. I store the boiled (and cooled) eggs in the refrigerator, unshelled, in a closed container to avoid evaporation and find that way, the eggs are easier to peel.

Skip the ice bath - I thought I saw this advice in NYT cooking, but now I don’t see it. Seems to work!

Been doing this for years. Boil water, add eggs and boil for ten minutes ( my wife says 11 minutes). Add to ice water. Peel. Or peel later.

This method works great for me when I'm at my winter residence in Yuma (elevation 401 feet). It doesn't work at all when I am in Flagstaff (elevation 7068 feet). Anyone have any suggestions for making hard boiled eggs when water boils at about 198 degrees F?

Epic fail. The ONLY method for perfect hard-boiled eggs every time is the InstaPot. Place 6 to 12 eggs on the rack, add water just up to the bottom of the rack, Set to high pressure for 5 minutes. When cooking ends, manually release steam, remove eggs and place under cold, running water. When cool enough to handle, tap each egg on a hard surface to "crackle" shell all over. Return to water bath. When cooled completely, start peeling at the rounded end. Perfect every time. Never fails.

I'm sorry to say these came out awful. I went for the creamy yolks and they were firm. The shells would not come off easily. I can't say why they came out this way because I followed the instructions exactly. So, I'm still on the lookout for the perfect hb egg method.

For Easter, I wanted to make deviled eggs (I’ve made them many times, but since not many family gatherings since the pandemic, I wanted to level up). I first tried the steaming method. FAIL. Then, I tried this method. This turned out perfect yolks, but peeling the eggs was a disaster. Third time was a charm: poke tiny hole in the bottom of the eggs, put eggs into already boiling water with 1 tbsp vinegar to 3 cups water, boil for 10.5 minutes, then plunge into ice bath. Every egg was perfect.

I have to agree with SusanH. The Buzzfeed method they describe makes a perfect and easy-to-peel hard boiled egg. I’m going to try less than 14 minutes next time for a slightly softer yolk.

Question:If you put the eggs in boiling water, the water stops boiling. Do you bring it back to a boil and then start the timer for 14 minutes? Thanks!

Frustrated with peeling the eggs? Slide a spoon between the cooked egg and the shell. Slides right off.

Funny that there are two 'perfect' techniques to boil eggs in the NYT and they are contradictory. This is the other one: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020468-perfect-boiled-eggsKenji wants us to add eggs to already boiling water (which I find ends up with lots of cracked eggs...) and NOT to shock with cold water afterJulia says to put eggs in cold water and bring to a boil, and then put in cold water when done.What's a egg boiler to do??

Much ado about nothing in this recipe. Keep it simple.Step 1. Place eggs on counter just before heating your pot of water. It helps reduce the shock to the eggs.Step 2. Boil eggs on high heat- but not so high as to bounce the eggs in the boiling water.Step 3. Cook for 9 minutes for a soft yolk and 10 minutes for a firm yolk. Step 4. Rinse eggs under Cold water and peel immediately to stop the cooking process. Submerged peeled eggs in water and place in frig. until needed.

See Susan H comment for actual instructions

I've only ever truly had success with hard boiled eggs with an instant pot. No other method comes close to the 100% consistent and perfect results.