I can't seem to peel my hard boiled eggs - page 8 Solution!

[McGoo]

Is it because they are fresh? I'm running them under cold water, but boy are they difficult to separate from the membrane

The Solution is Salt - and I mean a good amount - 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup into the water and then boil up the eggs - They peel like a dream!!!!

 

[carugoman]

Salt in the water lowers the boiling point of water. the more salt added,the lower the boiling temp,but this only works up to a certain concentration of salt to water. 1 teaspoon salt to one quart water will lower boiling point 22 degrees to 190. The reason you want to lower the boiling point is to lessen the chance of the sulphates of iron and copper from precipitating out of the egg yolk. Since copper sulphate is bluish tint+yellow yolk=green ring between yolk and albumin(white). Iron sulphate is greyish-brown tint+yellow yolk=black ring.
Distilled white vinegar is used because,the acetic acid present in the vinegar,breaks down the carbonate molecule,thus releasing the calcium and making the shell easier to peel since it is now thinner than when you started.
The advice to plunge the cooked,not boiled,eggs into iced water is valid since this causes hot/cold surface tension that cracks the shell;thereby assisting in easier peeling of the fresh egg.
All y'all take care.

 

[BJ]

Yup. The older they get, the more air space inside. You can test the age of an egg by putting it in water. If it lays on the bottom, it is fresh. If it floats, it is too old (too much air).

 

[sunnychooks]

The only way I hard cook eggs is to steam them. Fresh eggs will peal easily and it takes no more time than the boiling method.

 

[sunnychooks]

Quote:
Get a steamer basket like the kind you would steam veggies in. Put about an inch of water in the bottom of a pot (enough to reach just below the basket). Boil the water. Place the eggs in the basket, and put them in the pot. Cover and let steam for about 15 minutes, longer if the eggs are bigger. Take the basket from the pot and submerge in cold water. When the eggs are cool you will be able to peel them easily - even fresh!

 

[schmoo]

I found a way to get super FRESH eggs to peel. I mean even eggs laid the same day!

BOIL THE WATER FIRST THEN ADD YOUR EGGS. I add a little salt too. Don't drop them in, lower them gently with a spoon. Boil for 6 minutes then remove from heat, let set 5 more minutes.

THEN this is IMPORTANT

Drain pan and fill with cool water. Crack eggs and peel AS SOON as they are not super hot to touch. Don't leave them sit in the cool water. PEEL ASAP

works perfect EVERY time!!!

 

[HenHappy]

I watched Martha Stewart the other day and her solution is simple. (Unless you need the egg whole, this works for egg salad or mixing) She cut the egg in half, took out the yolk ball and scooped with a spoon. Of course SHE made it look easy, but I have to try it to see if it is!

 

[mcfarmall]

Took 4 eggs from the coop, washed the poo off them, got a pan of water boiling, put the eggs in, set the timer for 15 minutes, kept 'em boiling real good. When the timer went off, I drained them and filled the pan with copious amounts of ice and water. After 5 minutes I tried to peel them. The peeling operation was marginally successful with some parts of the shell coming off cleanly and other parts sticking and taking some of the white with it. The white of the egg was not firm but somewhat mushy almost like it was undercooked. The yolks were beautiful...no green crap around the OD.

After reading through 14 pages of wonderful ideas ranging from the most basic to the complex, I have come to a conclusion.

There is no surefire way to make a hard boiled egg peel with any repeatability from egg to egg.

Boil your stinkin' eggs and if they turn out lousy recyle them through a chicken and try again tomorrow. After all, your chickens pump 'em out every day. Other than your time and fossil fuels that were wasted it's really no big deal.

 

[arabbie1]

I have been told by chicken keepers in these here parts, that you can't hard boil a fresh egg.
Well, I've tried all the methods, that have been suggested but I have been unsuccessful.
I decided to give this one more go. I got an egg this morning right out from under one of my
pullets. Ran to the house with it. Placed it in my new steamer, pushed the button & 15 min.
later, plunged the hot egg in ice water. Waited patiently for the ice to work it's magic.
Pulled the now cool egg out of the water, and started to peal. Well the egg couldn't have
been any fresher, the steamer any hotter, the ice water any colder. I was able to eat a freshly
pealed hard boiled egg!!!!!!!!
Now I won't go so far as to say it was perfect, but with a little tweaking, (and I don't mean
dancing , oh wait, thats twerking), I now believe I can master this perplexing problem. I have to say I have been in
awe of the whites of my fresh eggs being so clear before cooking. But I can't say how long
I stared at the cooked white of this egg. Bright white! Wow. Deviled eggs here I come.

 

[silkiechicken]

Yep, age them. Else you can do a search as it is a common problem.