Hard boiled egg problem

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Jeff B
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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by Jeff B »

Rufus Leaking wrote: Sat Jun 22, 2019 12:17 pm This topic is ubiquitous. Boiling egg technique is click bait on every home page. Regardless of hot starts, baking soda, ice baths, whatever, if the eggs are less than a week old, you’re going to have a problem separating the membrane from the shell. I’ve seen video of commercial settings, and they employ a blast of compressed air to accomplish this feat. Unless you want to have a compressor in your kitchen, there’s no way to make this happen. If you want boiled eggs, they have to sit and deteriorate to the point where the membrane pulls from the shell to the point where the steam generated by boiling can move the dissolved gasses within the egg completely around the shell in order to facilitate peeling. You can safely keep eggs at 40 degrees for over two weeks. Shit, as a kid growing up on a working farm, we kept our eggs wrapped in a towel in a basket on top of the refrigerator. We never refrigerated them. Sometimes, they sat up there for several days, the only limit was the fact that we ate them faster than they could begin to deteriorate.
+1
Being raised on a farm, we kept fresh eggs sitting out in a bowl. My mother never boiled the freshest eggs, only the older eggs because they peeled easiest.
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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by salemj »

The best trick I've learned in trying all sorts of things is to gently roll the cooked (and/or subsequently refrigerated) egg between the hands after cracking and before peeling, not unlike the "roll" trick in the "Russian" video, but using your hands. Otherwise, every technique I've tried has depended far more on the freshness of the eggs than anything else. I'm curious to try the ATK version, but 13 minutes is obviously way too long unless you want a genuinely "super hard" boil, given their imagery and the comments. I'm more of a "6-7 minute" boil guy, and never more than 8 minutes, which is a full, well-done yoke (start cold covered in water uncovered, heat to simmer, turn off heat and cover and start timer).
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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by Bob Z »

do ATK for 10.5-11 minutes then into ice bath or similar.
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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by ken123 »

I boil them, then transfer to a cold water bath. I peel them under running water letting the water help separate the egg from the shells. I'm guessing some of the techniques mentioned here are better than what I'm doing.

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Altadan
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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by Altadan »

Nobody mentioned Pepin's pin-prick trick 🙄
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gladius
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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by gladius »

Altadan wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2019 12:25 am Nobody mentioned Pepin's pin-prick trick 🙄
—-
Isn’t it Julia’s trick?

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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by Altadan »

gladius wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2019 1:36 am
Altadan wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2019 12:25 am Nobody mentioned Pepin's pin-prick trick 🙄
—-
Isn’t it Julia’s trick?

You know what, that's possible. After I made this post I tried looking for Pepin's trick on Youtube and couldn't find it.
Julia Child, rest her soul, pricked the eggs for poaching... so, I'm at a loss.

In any case, here are my two cents:

1) Boil water in pot
2) use push pin to prick egg-bottoms
3) gently place the eggs in boiling water, and start timer (6min= soft yellow, 7=mostly soft, 8=little soft, >9=hard-boiled)
4) pour out boiling water, and shake pot vigorously to break shells against the side of the pot
5) dump into ice-water bath
6) peel - under running water
7) voila, easy peasy.

Ever since we've been doing this, life's been easier.
You got me really curious if this wouldn't work on fresh eggs too.
“If we conquer our passions it is more from their weakness than from our strength.”
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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by Rufus Leaking »

The commercial hard boiled egg suppliers use a cupped plastic piece with a pin that pierces the egg and blasts it with compressed air.
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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by Jason H »

I have found the best method is to go to Costco and buy them already peeled. 👍🏼
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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by salemj »

Perhaps people saw the latest NYTs write-up on this subject, which included 700 eggs and double-blind testing using at least four different styles of cooking method and tracking of the age of each egg? Fun read, if nothing else.

It essentially confirms the most recent ATK test, which is to say that steaming results in the most consistent cooking (best texture) and the easiest peel.
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Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and own mostly Konosukes but have used over a dozen brands.
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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by Drewski »

salemj wrote: Wed Sep 25, 2019 10:03 am Perhaps people saw the latest NYTs write-up on this subject, which included 700 eggs and double-blind testing using at least four different styles of cooking method and tracking of the age of each egg? Fun read, if nothing else.

It essentially confirms the most recent ATK test, which is to say that steaming results in the most consistent cooking (best texture) and the easiest peel.
Here's the article: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/23/dini ... -eggs.html

Thanks for the heads up. Great read.
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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by Nmiller21k »

While I like ATKs method.

Start them hot, this helps the whites pull away from the shell for easier peeling.

Boiling water, drop eggs in, 6 minutes for soft yolks
9-10 for fully cooked.

Dump off hot water, cover in ice, peel at leisure.

I've done this with countless number of eggs over the years at restaurants.

IF you're still having problems peeling your eggs, prior to dropping them in hot water, take a metal cake tester and poke a hole in the large end of the egg.
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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by old onion »

I pickle a lot of eggs and I have tried all these methods and most of the time, none work as well as said. My life was changed when the wife presented me with a Christmas gift of those little rubber cups they call Egglettes. No peeling required and it works with fresh eggs or old eggs. Just crack the egg, pour into the cup, screw the lid on the cup and drop into the boiling water for the required time. Different times create different egg dishes.
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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by Chuyreyes2199 »

Hello all, I know I'm late to the show but I just wanted to add my two cents.

I cook hard boiled eggs almost everyday at work so I have noticed a few patterns when cooking eggs. I cook a large stock pot of 200 eggs at a time which is not ideal but I need to be able to meet the demand. It takes me about 10 minutes to peel all of the 200 eggs and it's really easy.

My best advice is to add a generous amount of salt to the water. I've read that it raises the temperature of water for it to boil but i dont know if that is what is helping me peel the eggs easier. But I am pretty sure that's the main factor because on a couple of occasions I have forgotten to add salt to the water and it takes me forever to peel the eggs and the whites stick to the shell. In my observations, age of the egg, cook time and ice baths don't make it easier to peel the eggs. Hope this helps
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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by salemj »

Chuyreyes2199 wrote: Fri Jan 17, 2020 1:03 am Hello all, I know I'm late to the show but I just wanted to add my two cents.

I cook hard boiled eggs almost everyday at work so I have noticed a few patterns when cooking eggs. I cook a large stock pot of 200 eggs at a time which is not ideal but I need to be able to meet the demand. It takes me about 10 minutes to peel all of the 200 eggs and it's really easy.

My best advice is to add a generous amount of salt to the water. I've read that it raises the temperature of water for it to boil but i dont know if that is what is helping me peel the eggs easier. But I am pretty sure that's the main factor because on a couple of occasions I have forgotten to add salt to the water and it takes me forever to peel the eggs and the whites stick to the shell. In my observations, age of the egg, cook time and ice baths don't make it easier to peel the eggs. Hope this helps
Wow. This is super interesting. Given that the shells are a little porous, I can imagine the salt having an effect on the moisture level behind it; i.e., that having a strong salt solution outside the shell affects how the membrane might stick or not to the shell for some reason related to osmosis (water flow), just like poking a small hole in the end can encourage changes in this. Obviously, as eggs age, they lose water moisture through evaporation via the shell, so it does seem possible...
~Joe

Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and own mostly Konosukes but have used over a dozen brands.
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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by Drewski »

Chuyreyes2199 wrote: Fri Jan 17, 2020 1:03 am Hello all, I know I'm late to the show but I just wanted to add my two cents.

I cook hard boiled eggs almost everyday at work so I have noticed a few patterns when cooking eggs. I cook a large stock pot of 200 eggs at a time which is not ideal but I need to be able to meet the demand. It takes me about 10 minutes to peel all of the 200 eggs and it's really easy.

My best advice is to add a generous amount of salt to the water. I've read that it raises the temperature of water for it to boil but i dont know if that is what is helping me peel the eggs easier. But I am pretty sure that's the main factor because on a couple of occasions I have forgotten to add salt to the water and it takes me forever to peel the eggs and the whites stick to the shell. In my observations, age of the egg, cook time and ice baths don't make it easier to peel the eggs. Hope this helps
You are correct that salt will change the boiling point of water, however, as a science teacher, it is a pet peeve of mine that people often claim this as a factor for anything. I will do my best to incorporate the imperial system (but Myanmar, Liberia, and the United States should really get with the times). You need 58 grams (2 ounces) of salt to raise the boiling point of 1 litre (about 1 quart) of water by 1 degree Celcius (about 2 F). This means that you need about a pound of salt to change the boiling point of 8 quarts of water by 2 F. I've never worked with 200 eggs at a time, but I'm betting more than 8 quarts of water are needed. It is unlikely that this is the reason for making your eggs easier to peel.

Rather, I suspect it is more likely that the salt (sodium chloride) is reacting with the shell (calcium carbonate and proteins) to make it more fragile. Or, as Joe mentioned, it's possible the salt water is disrupting the binding of the shell to the membrane in the egg. But it does seem like there is something behind it and I'll give it a go moving forward. Cheers!
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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by atang »

Lol. Those darn eggs!

I’ve made many an egg. I’ve seen it done many ways. Sometimes eggs can just be stubborn

I sometimes add salt. I’ve not noticed much difference in ease of peeling. More of an difference in taste than anything .

I’ve used every thing from farm fresh eggs to old wholesale lots. The fresh eggs are slightly harder to peel. But not really noticeable.

The biggest factor in making an egg easier to peel is temperature. The larger the temperature change, the easier it is to peel. I start with hot water above 160*F maybe close to 180* when I add the eggs, and crank it up almost to rolling boil. Starting eggs at a boil may induce cracking.
I’m not sold on lowering waters ph. I would assume it will weaken the membrane under the shell, losing the large sheet of shell that can be flaked off and instead, have tiny sandy shell fragments. I have not noticed it any better with the addition of an acid same as I haven’t noticed it any worse without it.... It takes about 12 minutes. Once the eggs are done, transfer immediately to ice bath.

The temp of the ice bath is important. Allow the ice to cool the water to 32*F. Have large enough ice bath to absorb the heat from the hot eggs without rising in temp too much. If the ice melts, your water wasn’t cold enough or ice bath was too small.

Cool the eggs in the ice bath for 20-30 minutes. The temperature of the ice bath needs to still be almost freezing. While the eggs are cooling. The eggs need to be cooled through until they reach thermal equilibrium. If the egg is not completely cooled, the whites tends to shear.

I’ll peel the eggs right in the ice water. The additional fluid helps the shell release.

Simply, get it hot. Then get it cold and stay cold.
The “recipe” part of the egg process is simply the road to the destination.

Looking at the addition of NaCl in a science frame, I now wonder what other things in the water affect eggs? Like the copper, potassium, calcium, chlorine, etc...similar to baker’s need to use water with/without certain minerals, ph, etc.

Anyways, good luck!
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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by salemj »

atang wrote: Sat Jan 25, 2020 12:47 am Lol. Those darn eggs!

I’ve made many an egg. I’ve seen it done many ways. Sometimes eggs can just be stubborn

I sometimes add salt. I’ve not noticed much difference in ease of peeling. More of an difference in taste than anything .

I’ve used every thing from farm fresh eggs to old wholesale lots. The fresh eggs are slightly harder to peel. But not really noticeable.

The biggest factor in making an egg easier to peel is temperature. The larger the temperature change, the easier it is to peel. I start with hot water above 160*F maybe close to 180* when I add the eggs, and crank it up almost to rolling boil. Starting eggs at a boil may induce cracking.
I’m not sold on lowering waters ph. I would assume it will weaken the membrane under the shell, losing the large sheet of shell that can be flaked off and instead, have tiny sandy shell fragments. I have not noticed it any better with the addition of an acid same as I haven’t noticed it any worse without it.... It takes about 12 minutes. Once the eggs are done, transfer immediately to ice bath.

The temp of the ice bath is important. Allow the ice to cool the water to 32*F. Have large enough ice bath to absorb the heat from the hot eggs without rising in temp too much. If the ice melts, your water wasn’t cold enough or ice bath was too small.

Cool the eggs in the ice bath for 20-30 minutes. The temperature of the ice bath needs to still be almost freezing. While the eggs are cooling. The eggs need to be cooled through until they reach thermal equilibrium. If the egg is not completely cooled, the whites tends to shear.

I’ll peel the eggs right in the ice water. The additional fluid helps the shell release.

Simply, get it hot. Then get it cold and stay cold.
The “recipe” part of the egg process is simply the road to the destination.

Looking at the addition of NaCl in a science frame, I now wonder what other things in the water affect eggs? Like the copper, potassium, calcium, chlorine, etc...similar to baker’s need to use water with/without certain minerals, ph, etc.

Anyways, good luck!
You should check out some of the recent tests posted above, such as cooks illustrated and the nytimes. They’ve pretty much totally countered the whole temp-change ice bath theory, and in my own experience trying multiple methods, everything they say holds true in my own home.

That’s not to suggest it isn’t easier for you to peel eggs in ice water. It is just to suggest that they could not establish, confirm, or consistently recreate any causal link between ease of peeling and using the shock method. So there’s probably some other cause in your method for the easier peel. For me, I always find it easier to peel in water, regardless of temp.
~Joe

Comments: I'm short, a home cook, prefer lighter, thinner blades, and own mostly Konosukes but have used over a dozen brands.
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Re: Hard boiled egg problem

Post by old onion »

I don't have or keep ice so I do it the hard way and just take them from the boiling water after 12 minutes and peel them under cold running water. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, same as with all the other methods. All my eggs come fresh from my chickens. Brown eggs peel easier then white eggs. ( wink )
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