How To Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

Discover the best way to hard boil eggs. While it isn't exactly difficult, boiling eggs isn't quite as foolproof as one might think. If you don't boil long enough, you'll be left with soft boiled eggs, which are a delicious breakfast but won't make good deviled eggs. On the other hand, if the eggs are boiled too long, you might find the yolks are surrounded by an unappetizing greenish ring.

After decades of boiling eggs for deviled eggs, egg salads, and the like, the Southern Living Test Kitchen has finally settled on the way you can guarantee perfect hard boiled eggs every time you put some in a pot of water. Follow this, and you'll make perfect hard boiled eggs by the dozen.

Learn how to make hard boiled eggs, and we know you'll find plenty of ways to use them, from salads to sandwiches, pizza to appetizers.

How To Make Hard Boiled Eggs

Follow this easy recipe, and you'll get perfect hard boiled eggs every time. Here's a brief outline; the full recipe is further below:

• Boil the eggs. Place selected eggs in a pot, and cover them with cold water by 1 to 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
• Sit eggs in hot water. Once the water comes to a boil, take the pan off the heat, and cover it. Let the eggs sit in the hot water 12 minutes. (If you like a slightly creamier yolk, aim for 10 minutes in the hot water.)
• Cool the eggs in an ice bath. After the eggs have been in the hot water long enough, move them to a bowl or pot of ice water with a slotted spoon. This will slow the cooking process so they don't overcook.
• Peel the eggs. If you're planning to use the eggs right away, go ahead and remove the shells with your preferred method. You can leave eggs you aren't planning to use immediately in their shells and store in them in the fridge.

Tips for the Best Hard Boiled Eggs

While boiling eggs may be easy, there are a few tips that can make the process far smoother. Here are our best tricks:

• Use older eggs. Hard boiled eggs are usually easier to peel if they’ve been in the fridge for 5 to 10 days (farm fresh eggs are typically the most difficult to peel), but you’ll want to make sure you are using eggs that are not past their expiration date.
• Check for dings. If any eggs have cracks or splits, the egg may leak out during cooking or won't cook properly while boiling.
• Adjust cooking time. If you would like a softer yolk, you can take the eggs out of the hot water after 10 minutes, rather than the full 12 minutes.
• Don't skip the ice bath. The ice bath stops the egg from overcooking (helping you avoid the green ring), and the change in temperature helps the egg white loosen from the shell.

How To Peel Hard Boiled Eggs

We recommend tapping the egg lightly on the counter to start cracking the shell, then rolling gently to create more cracks. Then, gently pull away the shell from the white. Running water over the eggs as you peel can also help. You can also use a spoon to help loosen the shell from the white, making peeling in larger pieces easier.

How To Store Hard Boiled Eggs

Hard boiled eggs can be stored in or out of the shell. Either way, they’ll keep for up to one week in the refrigerator. Peeled eggs need to be dried and stored in an airtight container or zip-top plastic bag.

Ways To Use Hard Boiled Eggs

Once you've figured out how to perfectly boil eggs every time, you'll need lots of ways to use them and show off your skills. Consider these recipes:

• Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
• Classic Deviled Eggs
• Egg Salad
• Shrimp Cobb Salad
• Southern-Style Potato Salad