The Perfect Hard Boiled Egg
Learn the residual heat method for perfect hard boiled eggs — pale yellow yolk, no green ring, easy to peel. Timing guide for sea level, high altitude, and egg size included!
Ingredients
- 6 Large Eggs or as many as you need — large, medium, or small
- Cold water enough to cover eggs completely by at least 1 inch
Instructions
- Place eggs in a saucepan in a single layer. Don't overcrowd, eggs bumping into each other cause cracks.
- Cover completely with cold water, at least 1 inch above the eggs.
- Set on the burner over high heat and bring to a full boil, uncovered.
- The moment it reaches a full boil, put the lid on and turn the burner completely off.
- Set your timer based on egg size and altitude (see timing table above). For hard boiled large eggs at sea level: 8 minutes. High altitude e.g. Denver: 10 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, immediately drain the hot water. Run cold water over the eggs for 2 minutes, or transfer to a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes to stop the cooking. Do not leave them sitting in the hot water — they'll keep cooking.
- Peel right away or refrigerate unpeeled for up to one week.
Notes
To peel using the spoon trick (watch here): crack the bottom (rounder) end of the egg to create a small opening. Slip the bowl of a small tea spoon between the shell and the membrane and slide it around the egg in one smooth motion. Shell off in under 10 seconds.
