Cooking the Perfect Hard Boiled Egg.

The way most of us prepare a hard boiled egg overcooks the egg and decreases the delicate flavors. Overcooking is also responsible for the green color on the outside of the yokes.

To boil perfect eggs simply place them gently into a saucepan and cover with cold water. Set the stove on high and bring the eggs to a boil. Boil for just two minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for 12 minutes. In the meantime, fill a large bowl or pot with cold water and ice. Fill it deep enough to submerge the eggs completely. When the 12 minutes is up gently lift each egg out of the hot water and set it in the ice water. Without this ice water bath, the eggs will continue to cook and develop the green shell on the yolk. After 15 minutes in the ice water lift the eggs out and dry on a dish towel. The resulting eggs will be firm and have a beautiful golden yolk that is cooked, yet yielding.

The next step is putting the eggs in the refrigerator. This brings up the issue of sulfur smells that can fill your refrigerator just after cooking. One solution is to place the cooked eggs in a zip lock bag for storage in the refrigerator.

Why are my Hard boiled Eggs so Difficult to Peel?

The fresher the eggs are, the more the shells stick when peeled. As eggs age, their pH changes and they become easier to peel. At the Adobe on Green Street we get fresh eggs from local chickens several times a week. We date them and hold them in a refrigerator for one week before boiling so the shells will slide off easily.

Making Deviled Eggs ?

If you are making deviled eggs or other ornamental dishes you want the yolks of your hard cooked eggs to be in the center of the egg, not off to one side. To accomplish this in each egg you boil you need to do a little advance planning. The night before boiling, take the eggs out of the egg carton and place them in the carton so the eggs are horizontal, or on their sides. They won't fit right in the egg carton, nor will you be able to close the carton lid. This will, however, set the yoke in the center for boiling.

Bon Appetite!