I can’t say precisely how many boiled eggs I’ve accidentally smushed, cratered, or generally man-handled when trying to remove the peel, but it’s definitely in the dozens—maybe hundreds. I bet you know the feeling. Some days it comes off without a fight, other days you feel like you’re picking off the eggshell one tiny chard at a time.
But if you’re like me and boiled eggs are a staple in your and your family’s diets, you need to have a more consistent batting average. So we’ve figured out two very easy tricks for how to peel a boiled egg that will save you time and help keep more of the yummy (and protein-packed) egg white intact.
Related: How to poach eggs with a trick from the kitchen goddess herself, Julia Child.
The Truth About Boiled Eggs | Photo by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt for Serious Eats
1. Boil the water first.
I’ve always placed my eggs in room temperature water from the tap and then put them on the stove, never realizing that this greatly increases the odds that the shell will stick to the egg. Instead, bring the water to a soft boil before adding the eggs. Just be careful to lower the eggs in gently—I cracked one on my first try. Now I use a spoon or a steamer.
2. Rinse under cold water while you peel.
I was taught to dry my eggs, crack them, and then peel them over a paper towel. Now I rinse them under cold water as I peel, and the difference is amazing. If possible, use this method while the eggs are still hot from the pot since it works better than if you let them cool off in the fridge for several hours before peeling. If you can’t peel them right away (or, well, as soon as they are not too hot to touch), place the hot eggs in a bowl with ice cold water to shock them before storing in the refrigerator. This can help too.
If you’re still curious about the science behind boiled eggs—and have about an hour to spare—check out the very thorough The Truth About Boiled Eggs at Serious Eats (photo by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, above)
If you put them in after the water is boiling, how long do you boil them for? Thanks!
Hi, Beth: It depends on how you want your eggs cooked. Typically, soft boiled get cooked for about two minutes, medium boiled for about 4 1/2, and hard boiled for about 7 1/2.
Thank you!
Thank you–boiled eggs are a staple in our house but they can be such a pain to peel! I’m going to try these tricks next time I’m preparing them.
After I crack it as usual I gently roll the boiled egg between my hands just enough pressure to loosen it. Peels great
To get a real “Calcium Boost” try drying and crushing the egg shells. Then place them in a pepper grinder, set it for the smallest size and grind some into Peanut butter. Mix it good and spread on a slice of bread.
A Calcium Boost without pills.
I gently beat the egg against a hard surface, like the counter, turning the egg all around. The entire shell cracks and more or less flakes off. Works great for hard boiled eggs, super fast.
A tablespoon of baking soda added to the water when cooking helps ensure easy peeling
Thanks for the tip, Patricia. We’ll have to try this one out (never have before!).
I put ice on my eggs while they are cooling in pot of cold water makes peeling lot easier.
Does the age of the egg make a difference with peeling?
Some people think so, Maggie, and generally, the thought is YES if you cook it the traditional way. That said, the age of the egg seems to be irrelevant when you steam an egg, since the cooking method is more effective at pushing air into the egg to separate the membrane from the shell.