Hard Boiled Eggs

I've been making them lately and have found it nearly impossible to get the shells off easily. I've used my old tried and true recipe and then tried the Gastronomique recipe and every time I end up making a mess of them, taking off half of the whites as I peel. Since this is the only part I like on hard boiled eggs, it is extra frustrating!! 

Any suggestions? I don't remember ever having this problem with my eggs in the US... you know, the hormone filled white kind. 

I believe if they are very fresh this can be a real problem. Eggs closer to their sell by date should work better. Delia says 5 days old is best. Also, they need to have completely cooled down under running water (about 1 minute) then leave in cold water about 2 minutes. Then peel.

Delia has tips for peeling once you've followed those instructions. Let me know if you want them!

What I've found that works for me is after boiling the eggs, put them in a bowl of cold water. Leave them there for awhile till they are cool and the shells come right off.

The thing about eggs a few days old is probably best too. I usually only hardboil eggs when I've got a few older ones.

My eggs were a few days old and I put them in cold water for about 15 mins... I think I am just missing the magic egg peeling touch. Isn't there something I could buy that would do it for me... 

I empty the boiling water from the pan, fill the pan once with cold water, empty that and then fill with cold water once more.

I leave them to sit for about five minutes tops before peeling.

I always rinse them in cold water a couple of times but it still seems pretty random. Some days they peel off nice and smoothly, other days I've got egg under my nails. I balme it on the egg. 

I always rinse them in cold water a couple of times but it still seems pretty random. Some days they peel off nice and smoothly, other days I've got egg under my nails. I balme it on the egg. 

I'm with you, Britwife, absolutely the eggs fault! 

After cooling under cold water and letting set a bit, roll the egg around so the shell cracks all over. Generally at the bigger end of the egg you'll get an air bubble. The key is to start there, making sure to get the skein of the egg lifting the shell part. Once you have that moving, it should all come off easily, in one or two big parts. If you start peeling without lifting the skein, that's when you get the egg white coming with the shell.

Isn't there something I could buy that would do it for me... 

Couldn't believe it the other day at the grocery and what do i see in the cheese/dairy aisle?  Hard boiled, peeled eggs in a package for sale.  I've never seen that before!

Couldn't believe it the other day at the grocery and what do i see in the cheese/dairy aisle?  Hard boiled, peeled eggs in a package for sale.  I've never seen that before!

When I lived back home before I knew Dh even existed. my family for special occasion & family dinners everyone in the family had to bring a dish of something. I was chosen to make deviled eggs. I couldn't stand them so my mom knew they all would make it to the dinner without being eaten before the dinner even started. I hated making them but that was my dish to bring every dinner. cause I made the mistake of making them that good I had to do them every time from then on. I was in Kroger's one day close to Easter about 6 years ago I passed by the deli counter, an what did I see already made up Deviled eggs. so from that Easter on I always bought them from Kroger's. I know I paid more for them, but I didn't care at least my apartment didn't stink of deviled eggs. 

After cooling under cold water and letting set a bit, roll the egg around so the shell cracks all over. Generally at the bigger end of the egg you'll get an air bubble. The key is to start there, making sure to get the skein of the egg lifting the shell part. Once you have that moving, it should all come off easily, in one or two big parts. If you start peeling without lifting the skein, that's when you get the egg white coming with the shell.

Yes if you get an air bubble it's usually ok ... but why don't they all have air bubbles I wonder? Maybe that is to do with the freshness that balmerhon was talking about?

BTW James Martin said on Saturday Kitchen a couple of weeks ago you do not need to store eggs in the fridge!

On the subject of eggs....does anyone know what the dark red "bits" are in the yolk? Sometimes there are a lot (10-15% of the yolk volume), sometimes just a speck or two. At least one egg in a package has this "stuff" in the yolk.

I've discovered a few fertilized eggs from Whole Foods in the states; any chance these were fertilized and not just "as far along" as the ones I've seen in the past.

It doesn't seem to matter if they are barn eggs, free range eggs, or if they are from Tesco, Sainsbury or Waitrose.

The red bits are what would become the chick if the egg is fertilised.

There's a thread on that somewhere I'm sure!

Yes, the fresher the egg the less air. You can also tell how fresh an egg is once cracked and in the pan. For fried eggs, you want very fresh. You can tell it's fresh because there is a thicker egg white around the yolk. An older one is almost totally runny.

I think eggs ultimately last longer in the fridge, though. But I guess only if you want hardboiled eggs or scrambled eggs!

Now I'm confused. To get the air bubble you need a fresh egg but for it to peel easily you need a less fresh egg?

who knew hard boiled eggs could be so complicated!!!!