Theme Thursday: How to Boil and Peel an Egg

It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? But getting a hardboiled egg to separate from the peel isn’t always easy. And since it’s Easter/Passover and people are peeling this week, I thought I’d do a little research into the best method.

Devilled eggs are a huge favorite around here. I don’t mind making them, but I’ve had my share of clinging shells and it takes all the fun out of it – it’s hard on the fingers, too. So here are a few tips gleaned from the experts in my own little cookbook library.

Howard Hillman: The New Kitchen Science

A week old egg is preferable for preparing a hard-cooked egg. How can you tell if a raw egg is fresh? An egg acquires buoyancy as it ages. Put it in several inches of water in a pot. If it sinks or lies on it’s side, it’s fresh. If it stands up, it’s over the hill, but edible. If it floats, it’s rotten. Fresh eggs may be harder to peel but are less likely to leave a unsightly grey/green tinge.

Method

Pierce the egg’s larger end with a metal pushpin. It’s point is short enough not to rupture the membrane that separates the trapped air from the albumen but thick enough to make a convenient hold for the air to escape through as it expands while being heated in the simmering water. Result: No cracked shell. Ease egg into boiling water. Simmer 12-15 minutes. Peel while hot, starting at the larger end, holding under tap water if necessary.

Julia Child: In Julia Child’s Kitchen

Julia has 6 pages in this book devoted to cooking hardboiled eggs. She concurs with the advice to use a less-fresh egg: “A new-laid egg is more acid than alkaline. After a few days when it swings over to the alkaline side, your troubles are over. For a more attractive egg, some people believe that if you stir the eggs about as they cook, you may re-center the yolk. "

Method

Never boil a hard-boiled egg. Julia cooked “les oeufs durs” or hard-cooked eggs in simmering water, which produces a more tender egg white, but may take up to 17 minutes. When time is up, drain the eggs, crack each gently by tapping 2 or 3 places very lightly with the back of a spoon and run cold water into the pan. Cracking allows cold water to penetrate and hopefully, to shrink the egg from the membrane while quick cooling minimizes yolk discoloration.

I love Julia’s tip for troublesome eggs: “If you had planned to serve them whole and are faced with a ragged group, change gears and make egg salad.”


Christopher Kimball: The New Best Recipe Cookbook

Chris’ boiled egg directions were deceptively placed not under “Eggs and Breakfast,” but under “Salads.” However, in his egg section, I found two new outstanding vocabulary words: Chalazae (the whitish cords at each pole of the inside of the egg) and Vitelline (the membrane that protects the yolk.) Method:
His method is uncharacteristically simple: “We always considered hardboiling an egg to be a crapshoot.” Start the eggs in cool water. No prick. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat. Cover pan and set aside for 10 minutes.

Now that we’re done…..I usually write a little “HB” in pencil on my hardboiled eggs so I don’t forget, but here’s another easy way to tell a raw egg from one that’s hardboiled: Try spinning it on the counter. If it spins easily, it's hardboiled. If it wobbles, it's raw!

Well, what did I miss? Anyone know why some people put vinegar in the egg boiling water?

I'm taking a break from blogging for a week or so but want to wish everyone a joyful Easter and Passover! Looking forward to seeing everyone's Theme Thursday entries when I return.