Hard Boiled Eggs - How to Make

As widespread beliefs dictate, hard boiled eggs are easy to make. However, there is more to making hard boiled eggs then just dropping them into a pan of boiling water. If this methodology is followed, you are very likely to end up with hard boiled eggs that are overcooked and dry. Before we get on with how to make hard boiled eggs, there are a few preliminaries. Firstly, try not to use extremely fresh eggs, as they are very difficult to peel. Instead, use eggs that are 4 or 5 days old, or ones that are close to their expiration date. However, if you have only fresh eggs, cook them for an additional 30 seconds. Another tip is to make a pinprick in the rounded end of the shell, which is likely to prevent it from cracking and make peeling easier. Boiling eggs in a small saucepan and using a kitchen timer while you do it will make your job easier.

Hard Boiled Eggs: How to Make Them

Follow these steps to make perfect hard boiled eggs:

1. Remove the eggs that you plan to boil from the refrigerator and keep them outside (at room temperature) for 15 minutes.
2. When you boil the eggs, they move around and repeatedly bang into each other. These collisions can be minimized by using a small saucepan. Place the eggs in the saucepan and pour just enough water to completely cover them.
3. Cover the pan and bring the water to a rolling boil. Once the water begins to boil, bring down the heat to low and uncover the pan. Let the eggs remain in simmering water for about 12 minutes. Adjust the time based on the size of the eggs.
4. Take the pan off the heat and pour out the water. Fill it up with cool water and leave it for a minute. Bang each egg against the side of the pan so it has one or two cracks. Allow the eggs to remain in the cool water for another 2 to 5 minutes.
5. Once the eggs are cool, there are several different ways to peel them. Our way involves rolling them between your palm and a hard surface, while applying slight pressure. After you do this the shell will have several cracks while remaining intact. It can now be easily removed beneath cool running water.
6. If you want to store the hard boiled eggs, then do not peel them. Place them in the refrigerator immediately and consume within 5 days. Read more on how to hard boil eggs.

Soft Boiled Eggs: How to Make Them

Now that you've learn't the easy way to make hard boiled eggs, you might be interested in trying soft boiled eggs. Personally, I think they are just as good if not better. To make soft boiled eggs, follow the same procedure as mentioned above in steps 1 and 2. Follow step 3 but instead of simmering the eggs for 12 minutes, leave them in the water for 5 minutes for a semi cooked runny yolk, and for 7 minutes for a creamy partially-firm yolk. Take the pan off the heat and pour out the water. Fill it up with cool water so as to stop the eggs from cooking. The egg can be peeled and served in an egg cup.

Read more on peeling hard boiled eggs.

Once the eggs are hard boiled, not only can they be eaten for breakfast or through the day, but can also be put to use in various ways, such as pickling them, which recipe you will find in recipe for pickled eggs and another form known as deviled eggs, which info you can read more on deviled eggs recipe.

A little more information about boiling eggs; never simmer an egg for less than four minutes. If the egg white is not solidified, that means it has not been cooked long enough to kill the salmonella bacteria. Another point is what to expect when you overcook hard boiled eggs. How to make them just right may take some time to master, so if you find the yolks with a greenish grey film, don't despair. All it means is that they have been overcooked, for when the temperature of the yolk exceeds 158 degrees Fahrenheit a chemical reaction takes place causing the discoloration. However, it is neither dangerous nor unpleasant to taste.