The Method That Works Every Time

  1. 1

    Start with cold water

    Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan. Cover with cold water by at least 2cm. Starting cold ensures even cooking — eggs added to boiling water cook unevenly and crack more easily.

  2. 2

    Bring to a boil, then reduce heat

    Bring to a full rolling boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce to a gentle simmer (small bubbles). A rolling boil causes eggs to bounce around and crack.

  3. 3

    Simmer for your preferred doneness

    From the moment the water reaches a boil: 6 minutes = jammy, slightly soft centre. 8 minutes = mostly set, slightly creamy. 9–10 minutes = fully hard boiled, bright yellow yolk. 11–12 minutes = very firm, drier yolk — for egg salad or devilled eggs. Beyond 12 minutes = grey-green ring around yolk and rubbery white.

  4. 4

    Ice bath immediately

    Transfer to a bowl of iced water (or very cold water with ice) the moment the timer goes. Leave for at least 5 minutes. This stops the cooking instantly (preventing grey rings), and the rapid temperature change causes the egg white to contract away from the shell, making peeling much easier.

  5. 5

    Peel under running water

    Tap the egg gently all over to crack the shell, then peel under a thin stream of cold running water. The water gets under the membrane and the shell slides off cleanly.

Older eggs peel more easilyVery fresh eggs (from the farm that day) are notoriously hard to peel. Eggs bought from a supermarket are usually a week or more old and peel beautifully. If you keep backyard chickens, let fresh eggs sit in the fridge for a week before hard boiling them.

Storing Hard Boiled Eggs

Peeled: store in water in a sealed container in the fridge, up to 5 days. Unpeeled: store in the fridge for up to 1 week. Hard boiled eggs should not be frozen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Spin the egg on a flat surface. A hard boiled egg spins smoothly and quickly — the solid contents spin with the shell. A raw egg wobbles and spins slowly because the liquid inside moves independently from the shell.
Overcooking. The ring is iron sulphide, formed when the sulphur in the white reacts with the iron in the yolk at high temperatures. Preventing it: do not boil beyond 11–12 minutes and always use an ice bath immediately. It is harmless but unappetising.