Egg Tips

[Ann]

I guess a lot of us will be making at least one batch of deviled eggs this summer, so I thought I would share some tips for the perfectly boiled (and peeled) egg. A friend of mine that is a wonderful cook shared these with me. Now...I seem to have great boiled eggs every time.

Place the eggs you want to boil in a pot. Make sure that the pot does not have water in it yet. You would be surprised just how often people try to gently place the eggs in the bottom of a water-filled pot, only to crack the shells when they drop them too quickly.

Fill the pot with lukewarm water, so that it covers the eggs completely.

Place a lid on the the pot and put the pot on the stove. Turn the burner on "high."

Wait for the water to start to boil. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on your pot and your stove. You will know when the water is boiling even if you are not in the room because you can hear the eggs tapping against the bottom of the pot.

Once the water is boiling, turn the heat off and leave the pot on the stove for 10 minutes so the eggs can finish cooking. This is called carry-over-cooking.

Remove the pot from the stove and place it into an empty sink.

Empty most of the hot water into the sink, without allowing the eggs to come out with the water.

Fill the pot with ice & run cold water into the pot to end the cooking process and allow the eggs to cool. Leave them in the pot in the sink for about 10 minutes.

Peel the eggs immediately, returning them to the ice water when peeled.

Tips

Turn the heat off as soon as the water begins to boil rapidly.

Don't let the eggs boil for very long, as they will be overcooked.

Add lots of salt to the water before boiling to make peeling easier.

After the eggs come to a boil leave the pot on stove for 10 minutes with the heat off.

Its been said that eggs are overcooked if the white is rubbery and the outside of the yolk is tinged with gray-but remember, some people like it this way.