How to Prevent Boiled Eggs From Sticking to the Shell
- 1). Remove the eggs from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Eggs at room temperature will react less adversely to the shock of temperature change when they are boiled. This reduces the amount of cracks in the shell and makes the shell easier to peel.
- 2). Place the eggs in a pot large enough to hold them comfortably. Fill the pot with enough cold water to cover the eggs by about one inch. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and turn the burner to high. Bring the water to the boiling point; this should take about six minutes. Turn off the burner and move the pot to a cold burner.
- 3). Pour 1 teaspoon of vinegar over the water and eggs after you move the pot to a cold burner. Cover the pot with a lid and let the eggs sit in the hot water for at least 15 minutes. The vinegar will help make your eggs easier to peel.
- 4). Cool the eggs prior to peeling them. You can place them in a bowl of ice water or drain the hot water off the pot and add cold water and ice cubes. Let the eggs cool for about 25 minutes.
- 5). Crack the egg shell gently by tapping the egg lightly on a hard surface. Return each egg to the bowl of water for another 10 minutes. This allows water to seep under the shell to facilitate peeling.
- 6). Locate a spot where the shell and inner membrane are coming off the egg. If the shell is sticking, hold the egg under the tap. The water will help free the membrane from the egg surface and remove the shell. After you have peeled the entire shell, rinse the egg under cool, running water to get rid of any shell bits.
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