# Peeling the eggs



## jmc0319

Just tried my first hard boiled eggs. While they were delicious, they were very difficult to peel. Does anyone have any tips please?


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## chickflick

Did you try puttin vinegar in the water? After I boil mine, I put them in ice water for a few moments and that seems to help. The older the egg.. the easier to peel. Also, a egg steamer seems to make eggs easier to peel


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## LittleWings

jmc0319 said:


> Just tried my first hard boiled eggs. While they were delicious, they were very difficult to peel. Does anyone have any tips please?


Fresh eggs are harder to peel. The egg white is stuck to the shell for a week or so. As it gets older, it absorbs air, shrinks a little and loosens up. Try to use eggs that are a week to ten days old and they will peel easier.


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## RhapsodyAcres

I second the suggestion of steaming them. That's how I do mine since our eggs are always so fresh and 9 times out of 10, they peel like a dream!


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## jmc0319

RhapsodyAcres said:


> I second the suggestion of steaming them. That's how I do mine since our eggs are always so fresh and 9 times out of 10, they peel like a dream!


Thanks to everyone. I will try the steamer and vinegar.


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## chickflick

Just saw a post on FB on hard boiled eggs. Put eggs in muffin tin and set oven to 325 and bake 25-30 min. If you try it, let me know if it works! lol


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## Shann0

I hard boiled my first eggs last night for my boyfriend to have for breakfast. They were eggs that are only about a week old. What I did worked very well, the shells peeled off nicely: (I am a young cook and tend to not be very handy, this is actually the first time I've ever told anyone about something I did in the kitchen that worked out well) lol 

1.Bring water to boil 

2.While water is coming to boil I took a tack pin and put a tiny hole in one end of each eggs shell. Really just touch the pin into the shell, it takes some pressure but don't use too much. You don't want to break all the way into the egg. 

3.Once the water is boiling, turn down to a simmer and place the eggs in the water and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. 
(If you poked too far into the egg you will see a little white stream of egg coming out of the hole. Don't worry they will still unshell but won't be as pretty, but this way you will know next time not to push the pin in as far)

4.After 15 minutes at a simmer, strain the water from your eggs and instantly put them into a ice water bath for another 15 minutes. Don't worry if the shells start to crack when you transfer to the cold bath. 
(The 15 minutes in the cold bath is very important apparently it makes eggs easier to peel and also keeps the eggs from having that "green ring")

5.After 15 minutes, drain and peel the eggs! Bon appetite!


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## bessmakris

Fresh eggs are harder to peel...after I boil them I left them cool off completely and then when I peel them I do it under running cold water it seems to work for me


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## Jim

I had also heard fresh eggs are harder to peel. Although yesterday, I had no choice if I was gonna make deviled eggs. So, I tried. Boiled them for 10 min, ran cold water from the tap, cracked, and they peeled awesome!


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## inunokanojo

I read somewhere that if you put a pinch of salt in the water when you boil them that the shell will practically slide right off. Pretty sure it was salt, but might possibly have been baking soda. I'd have to double check to be sure.


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## OrganicCOFlock

The fresher the egg, the harder the peel :/


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## Jim

Ya know, I have heard that, but, I find it still hit and miss. But, if I peel them while they are warm, I have better luck.


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## rob

i always peel mine while warm.


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## OrganicCOFlock

Agreed , peeling while they are still warm is easier most of the time


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## DoubleR

Just tried salt and baking POWDER and they peeled fairly well.


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## ChickensSayMoo

The fresher the egg the harder it is to peel. I always boiled mine with a pinch of salt but found a new way that I have posted elsewhere in chicken forum. I just thought I would share again...


I recently found out a way to cook freshly laid eggs that are super easy to peel. The shell comes away from the egg perfect every time 
They turn out just like your regular hard boiled egg and you place them into a cold water bath before you peel them, to prevent over cooking & discolouration.

The trick is to steam them. I used a small sized pot (18cm) with a (pot) steamer on top. Have the water boiling before you place the steamer on top of the pot of boiling water. My eggs vary from 30 grams to 55 grams, and take 12 to 14 minutes to cook through to 'hard boiled'. (I usually do 6 to 8 eggs at once, removing smaller eggs a minute or two before the larger ones)
The recipe I came across stated 18 mins but I figured that they were using larger eggs.
By far the easiest way to get perfect to peel freshly laid eggs I have tried.


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## DoubleR

I'm going to try his tomorrow! Thanks!
Anyone notice darker eggs being harder to peel than lighter eggs?


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## ianmack

This is how it's done!!!


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## DoubleR

Ok that's funny! I knew I'd been doing it wrong! Lol


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## dcfrenkel

inunokanojo said:


> I read somewhere that if you put a pinch of salt in the water when you boil them that the shell will practically slide right off. Pretty sure it was salt, but might possibly have been baking soda. I'd have to double check to be sure.


I find that if I make the water pretty salty it works. Just a pinch is not enough.

Good luck!


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## Chickie-babe

I've never heard of steaming an egg. How long does it have to steam?


Sent from my iPhone using Chicken Forum


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## jmc0319

I bought a neat little egg steamer from QVC for like $20. You fill the bottom up with water and plug it in. The unit shuts off when the water is gone which equals the eggs are done. They peel perfectly. 


Sent from my iPhone using Chicken Forum


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## Jim

Back in highschool I worked for Wyatt's Cafeteria, we used the steamer for all our boiled eggs!


Jim


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## kirsten4chickens

*Tips on peeling boiled egg*

I always do this, after boiling the egg and taking it away from the hot water, I submerged it into cold water... this will ease up your peeling.


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