“She can’t even boil an egg” may be a phrase for the cooking-challenged, but in reality the perfect hard boiled egg is not necessarily a given. Even the savviest cook can end up with runny yolks, green yolks or an exploded mess of cracked shell and murky water if he or she is not armed with a certain set of tips and tricks. Today i unveil to you MY recipe for the PERFECT hard boiled egg – every time.
The perfect hardboiled egg starts with the perfect egg. You may have read the hooplah surrounding ‘organic’ eggs in stores these days? Hard to come by, expensive, and in a shortage – why? Because ‘organic’ chicken feed isn’t grown here in the states. Organic soy and corn is imported from CHINA to feed local chickens all so that their eggs can be labelled as organic. You know what’s more sustainable and good for you? LOCAL eggs laid by hens who are able to graze freely on pasture. Look more closely into ‘cage free,’ ‘organic’ regulations and you may be surprised, those hens live a life so far removed from the happy farm yard hens you think they are. Visit a local farmer’s market instead and buy eggs directly from a farmer whom you can ask about the living conditions of his flock – dirt run or pasture? Mine are happily munching away on grass and bugs, flapping their wings about and enjoying dust baths in the sunshine. I’d much prefer to eat their eggs than those from hens eating Chinese “organic” soy… just sayin’.
All that being said – the freshest eggs are tricky to peel – so save your eggs on the counter or fridge (unwashed or washed) for at least a week before boiling. Ready for some egg salad???
Grab your favorite pot and carefully place your eggs into the bottom. Don’t crowd them, but do fill the pot. Placing the eggs in before the water helps keep them from cracking as well.
Cover your eggs with cold tap water. Only JUST cover the eggs with the water.
Place your pot on a burner and bring it to high until the water is boiling. This part is the key – allow the water to truly boil, not just pre boil. Allow it to fully boil for a good 30 seconds and put a lid on it and turn the heat off.
Have your kitchen timer set to 8 minutes and start it as soon as you turn off the heat. When the timer goes off carefully drain the water off the eggs (don’t let them all slide and hit the lid: that’s sure to break them) and begin rinsing them with tap water. Rinse and drain several times. You can also remove the eggs into a bowl of ice water which works the best. Ta Da! You’ve got some delicious boiled eggs with bright golden centers and no nasty green.
Yum! Perfect sliced with some salt or mashed with a little mayo, mustard and green tomato relish for a refreshing egg salad. Easter is around the bend and these eggs are now ready to dye and fill your Easter basket. Be sure and store boiled eggs in the refrigerator and eat up within a week or so. Save those shells for the garden or your own chicken flock – great for repelling slugs around garden borders and giving your flock a calcium boost so they can continue laying beautiful eggs throughout the season.
Do you have any ‘tricks’ in the kitchen?
