How to boil an egg properly

Since a big part of what we do is raise chickens for eggs, I figured we'd post this tip on how to boil eggs. You may think it should be common sense, but there's is a way to make your eggs tender and avoid the green "ring" around the yolk for hard boiled eggs.

Have you ever noticed some eggs are really difficult to peel?


That's a sign of a REALLY fresh egg. Very fresh eggs will not peel easily. In fact, an egg that is just a day or two old is almost impossible to peel. As eggs age, the shells will be much more easier to peel more. 

Whenever collecting from your hens, put a date on the carton or container you use to keep track of their age.  

It's been suggested that eggs used for "hard" cooking be at least 2 weeks old before cooking for easiest peeling. Hard cooked eggs that are cooked slowly over low heat (and not ‘boiled’) will be more difficult to peel.


Directions:


1. Place eggs in a saucepan with enough COLD tap water to cover completely by 1 inch. Bring to a ROLLING boil over HIGH heat. Once the water is brought to a rolling boil, PROMPTLY reduce heat to a lower medium boil and cook an additional 10 minutes for a “hard boiled” egg. For a “soft boiled” egg reduce the time by a few minutes.
Ever notice how some eggs have a green coating around the yolk? That's iron and sulfur. To avoid this follow step 2.
2. Remove from heat and IMMEDIATELY place eggs under ice cold water or in a bowl of ICED water to chill promptly to help yolks stay bright yellow. 
3. To peel...crack on all sides, roll egg between hands to loosen shell,and remove shell. Enjoy, with a light sprinkling of salt if desired. 

Refrigeration is necessary for hard boiled eggs if the eggs are not to be consumed within a few hours. Refrigerated boiled eggs, kept in the shell, can be kept for up to 1 week.