Helpful Tips * Use eggs that have been in the refrigerator the longest; the less fresh the egg, the easier it is to peel.
* If desired, the large end of the eggs can be pricked with a pin or an egg piercer prior to cooking. This step is not essential but some cooks feel it helps prevent the eggs from cracking.
* Rapid cooling after cooking helps prevent a greenish ring from forming around the yolk.
* To hard-cook an egg quickly for Egg Salad, crack it into a poacher or microwave egg cooker and cook until the yolk is cooked. Immerse in cold water for rapid cooling, if desired; drain well.
* To determine whether an egg is hard-cooked, spin it. If it spins smoothly and rapidly, it is hard-cooked. If it wobbles and spins slowly, it is raw.
* Keep hard-cooked eggs refrigerated and use them within a week. Return to top |
Soft-Cooked Eggs Place cold eggs in a single layer in a saucepan. Cover with at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) cold water over top of the eggs. Bring water quickly to a boil over high heat. Immediately cover the saucepan and remove from the heat to stop boiling. Let eggs stand in the water, covered, for about 3½ minutes for large eggs. Remove eggs from the water. Place in an egg cup. Slice off one end and eat with a spoon. Return to top |
Hard-Cooked Eggs Place cold eggs in a single layer in a saucepan. Cover with at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) cold water over top of the eggs. Bring water quickly to a boil over high heat. Immediately cover the saucepan and remove from the heat to stop boiling. Let eggs stand in water, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes for large eggs. Drain water and immediately run cold water over eggs until cooled. Return to top |
