Hard-boiled eggs 101

Every Good Friday, when I cooked at school, a teacher named Barb would come into my kitchen first thing in the morning and ask the same question. Before she would even ask, I would start laughing when she walked in. “Julz, tell me again how to make perfect hard-boiled eggs?”

Any type of egg to prepare perfectly is harder than people think; this is why it is a requirement for chefs to master. Hard-boiled eggs are easier than a French omelet or poached eggs, but there is a trick to get them right.

Ever notice when you peel and slice your hard-boiled eggs in half and the yolk has a green ring around the outside? You overcooked your eggs plain and simple.

I have used the same method of making eggs for over 30 years. I loved making hard-boiled eggs for our kids to dye when they were little. I also loved making deviled eggs with the dyed eggs. Even though they loved dying eggs, neither of my boys would EVER eat a hard-boiled egg or deviled egg, so they became part of our Easter brunch or dinner every year for everyone else to enjoy.

Having super yellow yolks in your hard-boiled eggs has lots of factors. Farm fresh or organic eggs have more yellow, sometimes orange yolks. Eggs from the grocery store are ones that I have always used; we use local eggs now with our spatzle business. Grocery store eggs still have yellow yolks, just not as vibrant as ones from the farm. Cooking time on any egg can also change the color of the cooked egg.

To make perfect hard-boiled eggs with a bright yellow yolk, place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to the water, two if you are boiling a lot of eggs. Put on high heat and bring to a rapid boil. A rapid boil is just that, not a simmer. As soon as you see large bubbles turn off the heat and put a lid on the pot. Set a timer for 15 minutes. As soon as the timer goes off, drain and run cold water on eggs to stop the cooking process. I let mine sit in cold water for 20 minutes or so. Eggs are now ready to be dyed, deviled, or stored in the refrigerator.

I learned about 6-minute eggs a couple of years ago watching the cooking show Top Chef. Everyone was making 6-minute eggs, and they were gorgeous, and the judges always liked them. I followed the same cooking method for my hard-boiled eggs and only let them sit covered pot for 6 minutes; drained, cooled, and peeled.

6-minute eggs are delicious; they are a tasty combination of a hard-boiled and a soft-boiled egg. You can pick it up and eat it, but the insides are softer. They have become a favorite at our house.

I love soft-boiled eggs as well, but I only had them when I was sick as a kid. Why? How come they were considered sick food? They are delicious with buttered toast dipped in soft eggs. Mmmmmm! Neither of my boys has ever had or asked for a soft-boiled egg.

You follow the same cooking method as above; just let the eggs sit in the pot covered for 3 minutes; drain and cool. Cut in half with a sharp knife and scoop out the insides into a bowl.

Today I made deviled eggs just for tradition’s sake. As soon as I put the eggs in the pot of water, I laughed out loud, thinking of Barb. I hope I could get this post out for anyone who is like Barb and can never get their hard-boiled eggs just right or forget how long to cook them for.