The perversity of food

This might not be what you think.  I was getting started on making some chicken salad out of the breasts we roasted a little while ago, and put some eggs on to boil.  It is my considered opinion that a good chicken salad needs some eggs to make it right.  I had seven eggs left in the carton, so seven went into the water.  One slipped and cracked, so I ended up with 6 1/2 hard boiled eggs and 1/2 poached egg floating around in little pieces like it exploded in the pan. For some reason, poaching eggs and I do not get along.  But that's another story.  

The eggs boiled. I ran some cold water on them to cool them just as Mrs. LittleBill was coming in the door from work.  She is usually beat at the end of a week, and it is not always the best time to annoy her with... well, anything.  Even though we have been married for 33 years, I sometimes forget to observe that.  

So these eggs.  I'm peeling them in the kitchen, and the shells are just falling off them without effort.  Each shell came off like a prom dress.  The eggs practically sprung right out of the shell as soon as I cracked them.  I could not remember the last time that had happened.  I sat there looking at them in the bowl, and I said to Mrs. LittleBill, "You know, these eggs are beautiful.  It would almost be a sin to make them into egg salad, and chop them up into bits after they peeled so nicely.  And we do have company coming tonight.

"Just chop them up!  We're not making deviled eggs tonight!"

It was like I sent out telepathic waves or something.  She knew, as soon as I mentioned how nicely they peeled.  See, whenever I HAVE to make deviled eggs, I have a devil of a time getting the shells off.  It's like the chickens drank super glue right before they laid.  When I want deviled eggs, I get deviled yolks.  With some sort of tattered white part that looks like a six year old peeled them.  

I may have to hide these eggs when she is not looking, and boil some more.  We have another dozen in the refrigerator.  I wonder if I could get away with that?  But there's the perversity.  When you want them smooth, it never works out.  When they come out smooth, well...  I've got some scheming to do.  

Mine always end up looking like the moon complete with craters and vast crevices.

The key to peeling easy is putting them into several washes of COLD water right after they cook.  As soon as you can hold them you can peel the eggs easily without any effort at all. 

 

My boyfriend went to culinary school and passed on the trick to me, so I always have perfect eggs.   Boil them for 8 mins, remove from heat and run cold water over them.  Don't let them get too cool in the water or the shell will start adhering to the hb egg.   But, for me it works every time.  I also NEVER have that green center to mine.  I always have that beautiful yellow center.   This is probably why I eat HB eggs all the time. lol

I am still laughing at the "fell off like a prom dress" analogy  

That is an old saying around here, although I never came across it until just a few years ago.  I have a pretty good story about that too.  Perhaps I will tell it in a different thread one of these days.  

Interestingly enough, I treat my eggs just as you describe, although I think I let them go for 10 minutes at a low boil.  But yeah, this time it went great.  

Oh boy.........hopefully the easily offended folk from HFFM's thread will not pounce on the thread like they did his.  

Looking forward to the story.......

I am a genius when it comes to deviled eggs.  It's one of the few things I can make that are always perfect.

I struggled for years to find the best method to get easy peel eggs.  The hot boiling/cold water trick, older eggs, etc.  I have now discovered the secret to perfect shells.

::: drumroll :::  The pressure cooker.  I have an Instant Pot and it's magic.  Doesn't matter if the eggs are old or new.  Six minutes to pressure, six minutes natural release and six minutes in an ice bath.  The shell literally fall off.

If I never use my Instant Pot for anything else, it's the best and most consistent method for perfect eggs without the green tinge of death.

For years it was the same for me. Now I want an instant pot!

 

I haven't used the 6-6-6 method. I have used the 2 minutes steam and just leave it until you get it method. That works, but they don't peel as easily. Not as hard as when you boil them, but still not always "fall off the egg" peeling.

Scott

PS you put in your eggs- press the steam button. Let it run and come back whenever 12 minutes 15 minutes etc. I usually wait for NPR.

"...the 6-6-6 method..."?

 

Is that for making deviled eggs?

:)