Hard boiling eggs perfectly doesn’t have to be hard- here is the most foolproof method I have ever used!
How to Hard Boil Eggs
Our previous landlord was quite the character. He loved to talk.
We always would joke that, when we went to go pay our rent, we needed to set aside about an hour because he would probably want to talk that long.
He is a huge history buff and has had some rather interesting experiences in his life.
One thing about this landlord was that he was always trying to cook in bulk.
He lives by himself, so he didn’t ever need to cook huge meals, so he would just do a lot of cooking at once to last him awhile.
It wasn’t uncommon to see him cooking 50+ hamburgers in the middle of the winter on his grill outside.
Right before we moved, he felt it necessary to tell us how to cook the perfect hard boiled egg. He makes dozens of hard boiled eggs at the time, so he felt like he got it done to a perfect science.
Although it was a little random, after trying it a few times, I have to admit, I think he was on to something.
Because this method truly yields the perfect hard boiled egg.
The shell comes off easily (one of my biggest annoyances with hard boiled eggs is when you have to pick it off, tiny piece by tiny piece), it had a delicious taste, and it was easily mashable.
Since Easter is coming up, I thought I’d bestow this infinite knowledge upon all of you (haha.) I know there are tons of tutorials out there on the “art” of the hard-boiled egg, so hopefully, you’ll find this one as equally (or even more) helpful!
I also think that hard boiled eggs are just nice to have on hand for quick breakfasts or lunch. Be on the lookout for a delicious and easy egg salad recipe coming up soon.
originally posted in 2014. Updated in 2019.
How to Hard Boil an Egg
1. Buy a dozen eggs
2. Fill a large pot about 1/2 way full with cold water.
3. Place all the eggs into the cold water.
4. Put the pot on the stove and bring to a roaring boil over high heat.
5. Once it reaches the roaring boil, set the timer for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature, but make sure it keeps boiling slightly. Keep it at this temperature for the remaining time.
6. When there are about 2 minutes left on the timer, fill a medium-sized bowl with very, very cold water.
7. As soon as the timer goes off, remove eggs from the pot and place them directly into the cold water (I recommend using a strainer spoon.)
8. Let them cool, and voila, the perfect hard boiled egg!
How long do hard boiled eggs last?
For easy storage, keep them in the container the eggs came in, and write on the box when you made them. Hard-boiled eggs stay good for about 7 days past the boil date (if they have the shell on) and 5 days if they don’t have the shell on.
Are my hard boiled eggs cooked?
Are my hard boiled eggs cooked?Oh, and do you know how to tell if a hard-boiled egg is cooked? Spin it! If it doesn’t wobble, it’s good to go!
Jack and I sure enjoyed eating one or two of these after they were done, and they tasted totally perfect.
Need something to do with leftover hard-boiled eggs? Be sure to check out our round-up of ideas for using leftover hard-boiled eggs:
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- The BEST Cooking Gifts for Kids
Katie is a Colorado-native, BYU graduated, and most importantly, wife to one and mother to three beautiful boys. She is passionate about sharing her experiences with others – especially about pregnancy, breastfeeding, cooking, and crafts. She is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She loves spending time with her family and helping others find joy in family life.
Babzanne Barker says
I’m Katie’s mom and I’d like to give a testimonial that this really does make perfect hard-boiled eggs! And just in time for Easter!
Katie says
Thanks, Mom! Glad that you think so. You better bookmark this on your computer so you remember how 🙂
Grace says
Step #4 : “Put the pot on the stove, and bring to a roaring water over high heat.”
Suggested correction:
Put pot on the stove, and bring to a roaring BOIL over high heat.
Thanks for sharing how you do this. I NEVER remember! I make them all the time but just can’t seem to keep the “how to” to stick in my brain! I think the toddler, small dog, husband, and 2 jobs help with that! LOL. Thanks again!
Katie says
Oh gosh!! Thanks for checking that 🙂 I always have a hard time remembering things like this too — so does my mom; she texts me all the time asking me, once again, how I boil my eggs!!
Carolr says
Correction for #3:
Place raw eggs into cold water.
Katie says
Haha! You are so right. After the thousands of people who have read this, you’re the first to mention that. I hope no one put hard boiled eggs in 😉
Betsy says
My husband and I always argue about how to hard boil eggs, I think we’ll have to give this way a try and see how it goes!
Julie Wood says
One tip on peeling hard boiled eggs. Since I am so impatient, I peel them when they are still warm. Bad idea. Wait until they are cooled and the peeling will come off pretty easily. Thanks for sharing this post about how to hard boil eggs. Because I will be making Deviled eggs for Easter.
Katie says
That is a good tip! I’ve always thought that maybe it was easier when they are warm, but it’s good to know it’s the opposite!
Erik says
Do you let the eggs boil for 20 minutes or turn off the heat and wait 20 minutes?
Thanks,
E.
Katie says
You will need to lower the heat so it’s still boiling a little bit, but not as much as the roaring boil.