Hard-boiling eggs

Hard-boiling eggs

Trying to boil eggs can be frustrating. Their shells can crack, causing cauliflower-like billows of egg white to form (see picture below). Their shells can stick after cooking, causing the egg inside to tear and fall apart during removal of the shell. It can also be difficult to know just how long to cook eggs for the desired consistency. Over-boiled egg yolks turn green and powdery. You've probably had these at salad bars, overcooked in the 'better safe than sorry' tradition of much commercial food service.

Heat your water to boiling, then pull back a little on the heat so that there is a very minimal bubbling from the bottom of the pan. Add a tablespoon of vinegar or baking soda (not both...they will create an aggressive chemical reaction with foam!) to the water. This is supposed to help the shell and its membrane to stay separate from the egg white. Lower eggs in with a medium or large spoon, setting them down gently. Cook for exactly 10 minutes (I like my yolks a little bit soft...cook for 2-3 more minutes if you like them well-done). Remove eggs into a large pot of cold water, let sit for a minute or two. Remove eggs from cold bath.

Method #1 (so far, more reliable): Start breaking the shell by rolling the blunt end on a hard surface, then keep rolling in a spiral up the length of the egg. Break the shell open at the blunt end, and peel the egg shell and membrane off carefully. Strangely enough, I do this better with my eyes closed...perhaps that frees me to be patient and pay more attention to the mechanics of the shell and egg.

Method #2 (sometimes great, sometimes not): Gently grind the blunt end of the egg to break the shell. Tap the pointy end of the egg with a knife a couple of times to open a small hole. Wrap your hand fully around the egg, with the pointy end poking through the hole between your thumb and forefinger. Blow air forcefully into the hole you made in the pointy end. Catch the egg with your other hand as it shoots out the other end.