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Ingredients
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Hard Cooked Eggs
Method
Hard Cooked Eggs
Prep eggs and pot
Place 8 large eggs in a single layer in a medium saucepan or pot. Add enough cold water to the pot to cover the eggs by about 1 inch (approximately 2 cups, more if needed). Add 1 tsp salt to the water if desired (helps with peeling and prevents minor cracks from leaking).
Bring to a gentle boil
Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring the water to a rolling boil. Once the water reaches a full boil, let it boil for 30 seconds to 1 minute to ensure even heating.
Turn off heat and steep
As soon as the brief boil is achieved, turn off the heat and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Let the eggs sit in the hot water (off the heat) for 10 minutes for fully set hard-cooked yolks. If you prefer slightly creamier yolks, reduce the steep time to 9 minutes; for very firm yolks, increase to 12 minutes.
Prepare ice bath
While the eggs steep, prepare an ice bath by combining about 4 cups cold water and 1 cup ice cubes in a large bowl. Make sure there is room to submerge all eggs.
Shock eggs and cool
After the steep time, carefully transfer the eggs from the hot water to the ice bath using a slotted spoon. Submerge them completely and let them cool for at least 5 minutes. Cooling stops the cooking process and makes peeling easier.
Peel and store
To peel, gently tap an egg on a hard surface to crack the shell, roll to create more cracks, then peel under running cold water to help remove small shell pieces. Use immediately or store unpeeled in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Peeled eggs stored in a sealed container with a little water or damp paper towel will stay moist; change the water daily if storing peeled eggs.