Easter's right around the corner and it's time to boil those eggs! I don't know about you, but when I used to boil eggs, they would crack and the inside would have that ugly greenish rim around it. And I never knew exactly how long to cook them.
I have been using this method for a few years and it works every time.....the perfect boiled eggs....
1. PLACE eggs in a pot with one inch of water covering the tops of them. Cook on medium high heat and wait until water has just begun to boil.
2. REMOVE from burner. COVER pan. LET EGGS STAND in hot water about 15 minutes for large eggs (12 minutes for medium eggs; 18 minutes for extra large).
3. DRAIN immediately and serve. OR, cool completely under cold running water or in bowl of ice water, then REFRIGERATE.
Above three photos courtesy Google Images
Tips
Hard-cooked, not hard-boiled. Even though the cooking water must come to a full boil in this method, the pan is immediately removed from the heat so that the eggs cook gently in the hot water. This leaves your eggs tender, not rubbery, and minimizes cracking.
Banish the greenish ring. This harmless but ugly discoloration that sometimes forms around hard-cooked yolks results from a reaction between sulfur in the egg white and iron in the yolk. It the result when eggs have been cooked for too long or at too high a temperature. Following the steps above will minimize this.
What Makes Hard-Cooked Eggs Hard to Peel? The fresher the egg, the more difficult it is to peel after hard cooking. That's because the air cell, found at the large end of the shell between the shell membranes, increases in size the longer the raw egg is stored. As the contents of the egg contracts and the air cell enlarges, the shell becomes easier to peel. Because of this, older eggs make better candidates for hard cooking.
Safety Tips on eating hard cooked, dyed eggs:
Dyeing eggs: After hard cooking eggs, dye them and return them to the refrigerator within 2 hours. If eggs are to be eaten, use a food-safe coloring.
Blowing out eggshells: Because some raw eggs may contain Salmonella, be extra careful when blowing out the contents to hollow out the shell for decorating, such as for Ukrainian Easter eggs. Use only eggs that have been kept refrigerated and are uncracked. To destroy bacteria that may be present on the surface of the egg, wash the egg in hot water and then rinse in a solution of 1 teaspoon liquid chlorine bleach per half cup of water. After blowing out the egg, refrigerate the contents and use within 2 to 4 days.
Egg Hunting: If the shells crack on your hard cooked egg, bacteria could contaminate the inside. Eggs should be hidden in places that are protected from dirt, pets, and other sources of bacteria. The total time for hiding and hunting eggs should not go beyond 2 hours. The "found" eggs must be re-refrigerated and eaten within 7 days of cooking.
Safety Tips on eating hard cooked, dyed eggs:
Dyeing eggs: After hard cooking eggs, dye them and return them to the refrigerator within 2 hours. If eggs are to be eaten, use a food-safe coloring.
Blowing out eggshells: Because some raw eggs may contain Salmonella, be extra careful when blowing out the contents to hollow out the shell for decorating, such as for Ukrainian Easter eggs. Use only eggs that have been kept refrigerated and are uncracked. To destroy bacteria that may be present on the surface of the egg, wash the egg in hot water and then rinse in a solution of 1 teaspoon liquid chlorine bleach per half cup of water. After blowing out the egg, refrigerate the contents and use within 2 to 4 days.
Egg Hunting: If the shells crack on your hard cooked egg, bacteria could contaminate the inside. Eggs should be hidden in places that are protected from dirt, pets, and other sources of bacteria. The total time for hiding and hunting eggs should not go beyond 2 hours. The "found" eggs must be re-refrigerated and eaten within 7 days of cooking.
