How to Make Easy-Peel Hard-Cooked Eggs

Recipe from Cook’s Illustrated

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

I’ve tried all sorts of methods to get a perfectly cooked hard-boiled egg that can be easily peeled. This one is the one that consistently worked.  Don’t place the eggs in boiling water.  That lowers the temperature of the water and makes it hard to nail down a precise cooking time.  Using a steamer basket makes consistently perfect results because the eggs don’t touch the water, which doesn’t lower the water temperature.

Needed Equipment: steamer basket, a saucepan with a lid, medium bowl, tongs or a slotted spoon and a timer

Bring 1 inch water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan over high heat.  Place eggs in a steamer basket.  Transfer the basket to the saucepan. 

Cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook the eggs for 13 minutes.  (Use the timer for this.) 

When the eggs are almost finished cooking, combine 2 cups ice cubes and 2 cups cold water in a medium bowl. Transfer the eggs to the ice bath using tongs or a slotted spoon.

Keep the eggs in the ice bath for 15 minutes.  (Use the timer for this.) 

Meanwhile, discard the steam water from the saucepan.  Add about ¼ cup or so of cold water to the saucepan.  When the timer beeps, transfer the eggs to the saucepan.  Put on the lid and shake the pan side-to-side a bit.  This will crack the eggs.  Peel the eggs.

Store the peeled hard-cooked eggs in the refrigerator.  Use the eggs to make Jim’sFavorite Potato Salad; Egg Salad; Broccoli Olive Salad; or Simple Lentil Salad.