Hard-boiled eggs are a good way to add protein and other nutrients to your diet. They are relatively inexpensive, and they store well. They’re perfect for quick breakfasts, bagged lunches, and grab-and-go snacks.
Hard-boiled and dyed eggs are also popular in Easter baskets.
Cooking the eggs is easy enough, but removing eggshells is another story. If you’re looking for an easy way to peel eggs quickly – this Easter or any time of the year – keep reading.
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Eggs are a Mainstay in Many Diets
Mitch and I are watching our carb intake, so eggs are a mainstay of our diet. We eat them many ways – fried, scrambled, boiled, and deviled. We cook them in omelets and bake them in frittatas. And we chop them up in our chicken and tuna salads.
No matter how we use eggs at mealtime, we always keep hard-boiled eggs in the fridge. They’re the perfect snack. Little powerhouse packages of protein, healthy fat, and nutrients like vitamin D.
But to enjoy all that goodness, we have to peel the eggshells. And it can be quite a process to remove the shell from one egg, let alone a dozen.
Boiled Eggs Are a Pain to Peel
Well, they can be a pain to peel. Hard-boiled eggs are finicky things, and peeling them can be challenging if you don’t know what you’re doing. If you boil as many eggs as I do, you need a quick and easy way remove the shells without destroying the eggs.
Here are a few tips to help you peel eggs quickly and keep them intact.
Older Eggs Are Easier to Peel
Fresh eggs are delicious, but they’re notorious for being hard to peel. When you cook hard-boiled eggs, consider using older eggs (stored up to two weeks in the fridge).
Don’t just take it from me. “The best guarantee of easy peeling is to use old eggs!” said Harold McGee, author of On Food and Cooking.
Why are old eggs easier to peel?
The Department of Agriculture credits it to air cells in eggshell membranes. The cells increase in size the longer eggs are stored.
As these cells get larger, the eggs get smaller and pull away from their shells. This makes them easier to peel.
The longer the eggs sit, the more their pH levels increase. In other words, they become less acidic. This further weakens the attachment between eggs and their shells.
Does this mean you shouldn’t boil fresh eggs? Not at all. The following tips makes it easier to peel any hard-boiled egg – fresh or older.
My Tip to Peel Eggs Quickly
Baking soda. That’s my “secret.” Add a little baking soda (about a teaspoon) to the cooking water to make hard-boiled eggs easy to peel. Baking soda raises the pH level of fresh eggs – much like aging does for old eggs.
I always add baking soda to the cooking water. Then, after cooling the boiled eggs in ice water, I tap each one on the counter (or side of the pot) to crack the eggshells. Voila! Quick-and-easy peeling in large pieces.
Some people add a splash of apple cider vinegar to the cooking water, while others add a pinch of salt. I’ve also heard you can crackle the egg on your counter and roll it gently between your hands to loosen the shell. And if you crack the eggs before cooling them in ice water, the water can help loosen the shells, too.
The next few times I boil eggs, I might give these methods a try. But why mess with a good thing? I like the results I get with baking soda, so it will likely remain my go-to method for peeling eggs quickly.
Wrapping It Up
When it comes to kitchen tips, the best ones are passed along from family or friends. Such is the case with hard-boiled eggs – cooking them and peeling them. I hope my baking soda tip works for you, my friend. And I’d love to read YOUR best egg-peeling tip in the comments.
Thanks for reading, and enjoy those hard-boiled eggs! ◻️
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Now It’s Your Turn
Now it’s YOUR turn to chime in. What is your tip to peel eggs quickly? Do you add baking soda to the cooking water – or something else?
Let’s fill the comments with friendly conversation. Scroll down to leave a reply, ask a question, or just say hello. And if you liked this post, please give it a share.
Blessings, Annette
📋 NOTE – You are reading “A Quick and Easy Way to Peel Hard-Boiled Eggs.” An earlier version appeared in 2017. It has been updated for the Savoring Home community.
Photo Sources
- Caroline Attwood + Rachael Gorjestani | Unsplash | License
- Annette R. Smith | Savoring Home
