How to Peel Hard-Boiled Eggs: 3 Tips for Peeling Eggshells

The best way to peel hard-boiled eggs is by shocking them in an ice water bath after cooking the eggs. Follow the steps below for easy-peel hard-boiled eggs that are foolproof:

1. 1. Cover the eggs with water. Place eggs in a pot of water on the stovetop with at least an inch of water covering the eggs.
2. 2. Simmer the eggs. Turn on the heat and bring the water to a rolling boil. Simmer the eggs in boiling water for fifteen minutes to get firm whites and egg yolks. (The cook time will vary depending on your desired doneness for the eggs. For example, to make soft-boiled eggs with a runny egg yolk, boil for three minutes.)
3. 3. Remove the cooked eggs. Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the pot and place them in an ice bath in a large bowl. Cooling the eggs in cold water will halt the cooking process and will make it easier to handle the eggs when peeling.
4. 4. Tap the eggs. When the eggs are completely cool to room temperature—about fifteen minutes—gently tap the egg on the counter or table to crack the peel. Tap the top end of the egg and the bottom end of the egg before tapping the sides of the egg to break up the eggshell.
5. 5. Peel the egg. Carefully peel the egg, starting from the wide bottom end of the egg to break the air pocket between the egg and the shell. Gently peel off the shell to avoid breaking the egg whites.

You can use hard-boiled eggs as a topper in a healthy salad, an appetizer (such as deviled eggs), or in a sandwich (such as an egg salad sandwich). Follow these tips to prepare easy-to-peel eggs for egg recipes:

1. 1. Use older eggs. The eggshells of fresh eggs just laid by chickens are more difficult to peel. Older eggs, such as a carton of a dozen eggs from the grocery store, have less moisture, and the shell can more easily separate from the egg membrane. Use older eggs to ensure an easier peeling process.
2. 2. Use vinegar and salt. Add a quarter cup of vinegar and a teaspoon of salt into the water that you use to boil the eggs. The salt and vinegar will soften the eggshells and make them easier to peel.
3. 3. Peel the eggs in water. After you boil the eggs, place them in an ice-water bath to cool them down, then place the eggs in a bowl with room temperature water. Crack the egg against the bowl and peel the eggs under the water. The water will help the eggshell and membrane separate from the egg whites.
   

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