Help with hard boiled eggs?

[mountainbunny]

I know this has been discussed a thousand times already but I'm looking for easy ways to hard boil eggs and have a few specific questions to make it easier for me.
I refrigerate my eggs as soon as I collect them because I have a rooster and don't know which eggs may be fertile. I also have very limited fridge space. I've read older eggs peel easier so I'm wondering if it's OK if I pull out the eggs from the fridge and let them age a bit before I boil them? Also I don't have easy access to ice so an ice bath isn't really an option. With those factors in mind can anyone advise me on best way to hard boil eggs and still get easy peel eggs?

 

[Percheron chick]

There are a couple ways to make it easier. My way is to let the eggs sit on the counter for a few days (or at least reach room temperature). Cover the eggs with cold water. Add a splash of vinegar. Let sit 30 mins. Bring to boil. Turn off heat. Cover and let sit 30 more mins. Run under cold water. Works for me everytime.

 

[mountainbunny]

Thanks!

 

[Ravynscroft]

Just be careful leaving already refridgerated eggs out for days to warm up... fresh eggs can sit on the counter for up to a month just fine, but once refridgerated they should stay cold until right before they're cooked... longer than that risks bacteria entering the egg...

If your house doesn't stay hot all day long, like 90+ degrees F, then fertile eggs should be fine on the counter without refrigeration... we keep ours on the counter without issues...

I boil mine regular then just shock them in cold water and peel as soon as my fingers can stand to hold them...

 

[N F C]

The easiest way I've found to peel hard boiled eggs was here on BYC:

Bring a pot of heavily salted water to boil
Gently put the eggs into the water and boil about 14-15 minutes
Remove and either put in an ice water bath (which won't work for you) or run them under cold water until they are completely cool

I haven't had trouble peeling eggs since using this method. Good luck to you!

 

[mountainbunny]

Thanks!

 

[1FlewOver]

I use boiling water as well, but a little differently. First, I take the eggs and put them round side up in the crate. I take a push pin and poke a hole in that end...( they never break that way.)

I add a tablespoon of salt and vinegar and a half teaspoon of vegetable oil. I keep it to a low boil and boil about 10 minutes. I use an ice bath but cold running water should work.

I do this with fresh from the fridge storebought eggs and they usually peel in practically two whole half shells..( very easy)...and the whites are tender while the yolks are perfectly cooked without any gray around them.

 

[rebrascora]

I would just like to confirm that your fertile eggs (the same as infertile eggs) are fine stored on the kitchen bench or anywhere else at room temperature and will keep for a month easily like that. I've just eaten one that was 2 months old and still fine but that is pretty much the outside limit on them keeping unrefrigerated. I only boil older eggs as they peel best and I don't use ice. I gently drop them into boiling slightly salted water and boil for 6 mins (3.5mins if I want a dippy egg to have with toast soldiers....I had 3 last night for supper and they were so yummy!), then run them under cold water for hard boiled ones. I do 10 or so at a time and leave them on the bench to peel and eat as healthy snacks over the next few days.....I don't refrigerate eggs at all.... but then here in the UK eggs are sold in the shops unrefrigerated, whereas yours in the US are chilled I believe, for some reason.

 

[mountainbunny]

@rebrascora I stopped refrigerating my eggs after doing some more research. I don't wash them either until right before I use them. It's made it much easier on me as I have very limited fridge space anyway.

 

[wyoDreamer]

I have found that the way you cook them (add to cold water then bring to boil vs adding to boiling water) is not as important as taking them out of the hot water and immediately into cold water. I sometimes put my ice water into the fridge to help cool down faster if I am in a hurry for egg salad sandwich for lunch - not really recommended because it adds a lot of excess moisture to the fridge. When the egg cools down fast (like when added to ice-water) it shrinks and loosens from the shell.