Why Are These Eggs So Easy To Peel?

[MelissaH]

I like to use brown-shelled eggs for hard-boiling, but because it's easier to see where the shell is. No idea about whether they're easier to peel or not, but it's certainly easier to make sure the shell is completely gone.

MelissaH

[Raoul Duke]

We have chickens. Love the little critters. Sit in the evening, with an adult beverage and watch them peck away at mystery bugs. The eggs are great, over easy, scrambled, omelets, all golden yellow and silky. I like 'em hard boiled as well, with cold beer but, I've had the damnedest time getting them to peel without taking a significant part of the white with the shell. Started in cold water with a little salt, brought to a gentle boil and maintained for 20 minutes and finally immersed in cold water. What have I missed? Is it that the eggs are too fresh? Need to cool for days, not hours after cooking? Help me out and hook me up!

[sparrowgrass]

Well, I know I posted this somewhere else, but here it is again.

In order to peel easily, fresh out of the henhouse eggs need to be washed in warmish water, maybe a drop or two of dishsoap if they are really dirty. Then, put them in a carton, and keep them for at least a week--two is better. (It sounds wrong to wash them in warm water, but cold water causes the shell to contract and soil/bacteria on the surface may be drawn into the egg. So sayeth the USDA.)

If you don't wash them, the eggs have a "bloom" on them that keeps them from drying out--the potential chicks need all that moisture. You want them to dry a little, to allow that tough membrane to recede from the egg white.

So--unwashed eggs won't peel well even if they are a bit old. Commercial eggs are all washed, and SOME, not all, get a coating of oil to replace the natural bloom.

The oiled eggs won't peel well, either, unless they are washed.

[Raoul Duke]

Thanks for the info. I engaged my typing before my brain and failed to search for previous posts on this. I'll try "aging" the eggs before boiling.

[OliverB]

eggs sure are strange (and probably the most perfect food item). I've had problems with eggs past their date, with eggs fresh from the market, and anything in between. And some others peel almost by themselves.

I boil them by putting them in the pot in cold water, bring it to a boil, off the heat for 10 min, then I drain them, shake the pot vigorously to crack them all over and then I run cold water over them for a couple minutes. If they are problem eggs I peel under running water, but still, sometimes a layer of egg whites comes off. Probably with the fresher eggs, where the several layers of egg whites are still in tact.

Back in Germany we used a little device with a needle in it to punch a hole in the round side (where the bubble is) of the eggs before cooking and cooked them for about 5 min at a rolling boil, then into cold water. It's been a long time, but I don't recall having problems peeling them back then. The hole was to release the air bubble so the shell does not crack during cooking as far as I know. I will probably buy one of those on my kitchen item shopping spree that's planned for our Germany vacation this year.

Ever thing about all the things we would not have without eggs? Astonishing.

Oliver

[robyn]

Old eggs - that's the ticket (OTOH - absolutely fresh for poaching). I usually keep a couple of cartons in the refrigerator - one for "old egg" preparations - one for "new egg" preparations. I'm not sure it matters how you cook the old eggs - but I bring them to a boil slowly - then turn the heat way down and simmer for 11 minutes. Chill. Then crack on the side of the sink (aluminum) and peel using as much water as necessary to rinse off pieces of shell. FWIW - our Publix (and probably lots of other places) sells fresh peeled hardboiled eggs. So if you don't want to "age" your eggs - you can buy pretty good ones (they're usually a bit overcooked) at the grocery store. They also have a very long refrigerator life. Robyn

[Darienne]

What about the technique of cooking the eggs in baking soda? It is supposed to work wonders...the same as boiling hazelnuts in baking soda makes the skins just slip off?

We feed our two big pups eggs every third breakfast and my DH insists on hardboiling them. And then mutters and curses while peeling the eggs. But he won't even try the baking soda trick. It's a guy thing, I think.

No way I'm going to do it. I make them scrambled eggs. BTW, they are supposed to eat them raw but neither of us can stomach it.