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How to Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs

How to Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs

4875 Ratings
88 Reviews

Get a perfect hard-boiled egg every time with these simple tips. With hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator, you always have the components of a satisfying meal.

Ingredients

12 large eggs, room temperature

Directions

Step 1

Place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover them with cool water by 1 inch. Slowly bring water to a boil over medium heat; when the water has reached a boil, cover and remove from heat. Let sit 12 minutes.

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Step 2

Transfer eggs to a colander; place under cool running water to stop the cooking. Eggs can be peeled and served immediately.

Reviews (88)

4875 Ratings

5 star values: 869
4 star values: 1033
3 star values: 1738
2 star values: 888
1 star values: 347

biffnop

12/05/2019

My favourite method is on the BBQ grill (hardwood charcoal)... about 2 minutes per side when the coals are hot (steak searing grill distance). Throw in some mesquite chips for savoury flavour or fruit tree chips for a softer, sweeter experience.

Lonnconley

11/19/2019

Worked perfectly the very first time and I have never done it before, Thank you... Now how do I make some Chopped Egg Salad?!?

amyscroggins1

10/03/2019

Perfect eggs every time. Thank you.

tetamalu

09/17/2019

Today we were boiling 6 eggs---good diet food. One egg cracked slightly, I added a tablespoon of white vinegr. Set the timer for 6 minutes as the water was already hot. Perfect after putting under cold water.

MS212786267

01/28/2019

This is the most foolproof method so these low ratings are blowing my mind. I only do 2 at a time so they are fresh each day and I use an All-Clad saucepan. Perfect hard-boiled eggs, everytime!

ALR10955541DW

01/28/2019

I’ve used this recipe for quite a while with egg-cellent results. I read somewhere here that hard-boiled eggs are easier to peel when cold. I’ve found the opposite to be true. When I peel them cold, it looks like Wolverine peeled them. When I peel them after cooling slightly in an ice bath, I get perfect hard-boiled eggs. By the way, after they’ve been peeled, they keep just fine in a sealed, plastic baggie in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.

sscadservices

12/14/2018

Surprised at the low scores on this. This is my go to hard boiled egg recipe. Cant imagine what went wrong for other users. Its not difficult. Perfect every time.

dmuenzen

11/29/2018

This recipe makes the same mistake as countless others by placing the eggs in cold water. The slower it takes the egg to set, the more likely the membrane will adhere to the albumen, making the egg difficult to peel. Place the eggs in boiling water and keep them on a low boil, uncovered, for 12 minutes. Immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes. Eggs will be perfectly cooked and consistently easy to peel.

em_gen297129229

11/10/2018

I followed this recipe, yet when I attempted to peel the eggs, I was subjected to the same issue. The shells will not release the eggs easily and therefore, are impossible to shell in a clean manner. I have to cut them in half and scoop the egg out with a spoon,

helpdmhowto

11/09/2018

Its interesting to know how to boil eggs, but what if we will boil the eggs in salt water?

CKL18151424

11/03/2018

I’ve used Martha’s technique for years. Perfect Every time!!

MS10954175

09/11/2018

Perfect every time. Much better than boiling the eggs the entire time which over cooks them.

giesey0021

07/16/2018

So this recipe seemed to work just fine. I still use the method I recently found. Works amazingly. I always boil 18 large washed store bought eggs, could be different with fresh or more/less eggs. I place eggs straight from fridge into pan and cover single layered eggs with 1 inch water,

rrsecret85718

07/04/2018

This recipe was perfect ..unlike any other I have tried. I walked myself through the directions and ended up with fabulous results. I am happy that I did not rely on some bad reviews. The eggs were perfect!!! I am very particular about what I purchase for health reasons and perhaps some of these reviews didn't have great eggs.

igor275

06/28/2018

I tried Martha's recipe and wasted a dozen eggs. I failed to peel a single one without chunks of egg white coming away with the shell. Perhaps that entitled, privileged, felonious, parasite, Martha, should stick to insider trading.

reachkelly21

05/07/2018

Followed recipe and best boiled eggs ever! Thank you - eggselent result for the third time. This will be my go to egg recipe every time.

joannmrudd

04/20/2018

I can't believe the eggs were not even thoroughly cooked! The yolks were not fully cooked.

sportkid240

04/02/2018

I followed the recipe to a T and when I went to peel the eggs, they were watery. So needless to say in my opinion not the perfect hard boiled egg. All eggs are now garbage. Was very disappointed.

ericmorgan6791

03/22/2018

Works very well with common sense. Never crowd eggs and use enough water an inch above is plenty. Use measuring methods. Martha has tested and tried her recipes over and over and i love all her cooking personally. I also like my mothers method of adding 1 tsp of salt to water eggs peel great after med boil for 25-30 minutes and adding refrigerated eggs to tap water. Not brain science just simple cooking. Instead of using all your eggs at once try 2 for trial and error. Thanks Martha you ROCK!

gorgous777273027

03/19/2018

This is how I do it....bring water to a boil with 1 tablespoon of baking soda in it.... gently add room temperature eggs to boiling water. When water reaches a slow boil again after adding eggs....let them slow boil and time eggs at 12 minutes.... after 12 minute....then place them into a pan of water with ice in it. Let them sit in ice water for 5 minutes. Then peel eggs. They should peel beautifully!

clark737198075

03/05/2018

Horrible. The eggs were impossible to peel, and I lost a lot of the egg whites trying to peel them. Wasted 12 eggs. I'll go back to my usual method.

fcfmom

03/04/2018

My mom and I saw Martha use this method on tv years and years ago and didn't believe it would work because it sounded too easy. Since then it's the only way we make hard boiled eggs, and we get consistently perfect results every time. The only changes are that the eggs are probably not always at room temperature when I start, and at the end I put the eggs in a bowl of ice water instead of running under cold water. The eggs have a nice texture, and the yolks are a delightful sunny yellow.

rkoneal

11/19/2017

Perfect eggs every time! I saw Martha use this technique on television and I have been making perfect eggs, NO GREEN RING around the beautiful yellow yolk, anymore. I pulled this tip up to send to a friend and thought I would rate it. Thanks Martha!

qhill8191033682

10/21/2017

My son followed the instructions to the letter, and the eggs were perfect. Peeled perfectly, too. Thanks, MARTHA!

sweeper7385865

10/13/2017

My eggs came out perfectly and pulled perfectly. Electric stove med-high heat until just starting a rolling boil. Let sit for 15 min.

reneesackloff

10/11/2017

Followed the recipe and the eggs came out perfect. Not soft, not dry, just right! And easy to peel.

dennisbarbaro

08/03/2017

They came out perfect

webeliming

07/09/2017

If you use this recipe the eggs will be underdone.

MS10073965

05/11/2017

My mom gave me very similar directions on the perfect hard boiled egg recipe. Except she said from 11-14 minutes on the egg...maybe it depends on the size of the egg or the freshness of it. But we usually averaged it out to 12 minutes. Or as my mother was famous for saying, "you judge"! :)

Mustangjim

04/15/2017

Been using this method for years, perfect every time. I don't get the less than 5 rating. If you can't get this right, might be time to leave the kitchen.

rkanaris7yaho

04/11/2017

How to color the perfect eggs????

specialk.fd

02/08/2017

Steaming eggs is the only way to peel perfectly regardless if they are fresh eggs or not. I use the steamer basket of my rice cooker.

esprit15d1

02/07/2017

Once you steam your eggs, you'll never do anything else.

paelscrit

12/10/2016

This is how my mother taught me and they have always been perfect. She said to remove them right when they came to a boil and cover for 20 minutes though.

rjet63

11/10/2016

Where did you get and what is it called? - the seasoning in the bowl in the photo.

MS11092193

10/22/2016

Perfect every time. You've got a problem if you can't wait till it boils. Cooking is patience.

acmorone

09/29/2016

This is great if you have time to literally stare at a pot of boiling water. Just sit there, stare, wait for the boil. Or no, walk away for 2 seconds. OH NOES!!! It's boiling! How long has it been boiling! NOOOO I JUST RUINED THE EGGS!

ktgreerhotmail

03/09/2016

The problem with this recipe is that the 'boil' is not described it doesn't say full rolling boil or just at the start of the boil etc. On medium heat my eggs were taking a long time to boil and they stayed at only a very slight boil for five minutes. So I wasn't sure if I should take them off the heat ir not. The recipe needs to be more specific about what type of boil.

kachieekgmail

11/19/2015

Came out perfect. This was my first time making hard boiled eggs, I just moved into my dorm and was craving them for some reason :'^) If you followed the instructions right, they're great. I made four eggs in this sitting.

laughatlifehot

09/22/2015

This recipe works GREAT. I suspect anyone who had a problem either didn't properly follow directions or tried too many eggs at once. I would think 12 eggs is the max, they all fit in the bottom of the pan, not on top of each other(recipe doesn't say it but it suggests it with covering with 1 inch water). COOL WATER. Also, Medium heat differs from one stove to the next. When it BOILS, cover and remove from heat. The slow 12 minute cook keeps the yolk from turning green! Slow cook off heat!

MS112569846

08/22/2015

I just made hard boiled eggs for the first time using this recipe, with only 3 eggs and in a 1.5 quart pan. They came out great! You probably have to make sure your water is at top-boil when you take it off the heat, then put on the lid. If you don't, I doubt the water would stay hot enough to cook the eggs properly.

MS112618961

07/12/2015

I did this recipe exactly as described except with just 6 eggs, and they came out perfect.

MS112633450

06/23/2015

This is a ridiculous recipe. Yeah, you can bring the water to a boil and let it stand 12 minutes if you have enough water and eggs to hold the heat . If you are making 1-2 eggs in a small pot the egg will end up soft boiled. Just put the eggs in a pot, bring water to a boil and boil on low/medium for about 4 minutes and let it cool a bit. You will get a hard boiled egg every time without throwing food away.

MS112616586

05/27/2015

Tried making this exactly as directed (and yes, after 27 years I know what boiling water looks and temps like) and added extra cooking time per the suggestions in the comments. The first egg out cracked and was barely even soft boiled. Thank goodness eggs are cheap.

Anonymous

05/19/2015

Perhaps these people who boo and hiss this recipe don't know how to tell when the water is truly at a boil. Try a thermometer. This recipe has worked flawlessly for me so many times, that I question the skill of those naysayers...

meyer14474100709

05/18/2015

I recently peeled an overcooked hard boiled egg and this reminded me of Martha's easy to do perfect hard boiled egg recipe. I shared this with the family members at breakfast with me. It feels so good to have the perfect hard boiled egg recipe. Some did not even know why the yolk of some hard boiled eggs have a grey/green color on them. I explained that this is the result of improper cooking of the egg and went on to tell them about Martha's Perfect Hard Boiled Egg Recipe. Thanks Martha!

Anonymous

05/09/2015

This recipe worked perfect for me, 12 eggs peeled easy. The only thing I did different is skip the colander and ran cold water directly into the pan for several minutes to cool down the eggs. That seemed more efficient to me than trying to cool them in a colander.

livingessential

04/15/2015

MS was a no go for me, too. Try Shuezz way, written May 25 2012. I just tried that way and for the first time in my life all the eggs peeled effortlessly. Key is after there are boiled crack and let sit in the cool water for a few minutes.

MS112592805

04/04/2015

Used this to make my eggs for Easter today. What a wonderful way to ruin 2 dozen eggs! I never knew you could have simultaneously cooked and completely UNcooked eggs at the same time! Definitely a must try if you want to test your anger management.

MS12186687

04/03/2015

Same method I use, but just wanted to share a tip I just did...maybe it's already known, but I was taking out the pot I use to boil the eggs and saw my steamer basket...so I put the basket into the pot, put the eggs in the basket, added the water and when eggs were done just lifted the basket out of the water! No muss, no fuss!

MS11755545

03/31/2015

This is the recipe I use, the eggs never crack and are always cooked to perfection. To prevent shells from stinking use older eggs or add vinegar and salt to the water before boiling. When I run the eggs under cold water, I shake the pot to bang and crack the eggs, this allows moisture to penetrate the egg shell membrane which makes the eggs easier to peel. You do not taste any vinegar on the eggs, but if you want to taste vinegar add your hard eggs to the pickle jar for a week & devil them.

Steven Hall

03/28/2015

Wrong! Boil then let them simmer on low for 15-20 minutes. Plunge in cold water, peel and serve.

Anonymous

03/22/2015

They should remove this recipe from the website. I followed it to the letter to prove a point with my wife (who makes terrible hb eggs). I've never had a harder time peeling an egg than I had after following Martha's recipe. DO NOT USE THIS. Can't even tell you if the eggs were adequately cooked or not, gave up from frustration.

MS10947089

03/15/2015

I've only had eggs fail me a couple times and it's always because I removed the heat too soon. This bring to a boil and remove from heat is new to me. I start with hot tap water. fill the pan with eggs and water. Put it on med-high heat and start a timer for thirteen minutes. Unless it's an electric stove. Then it's fifteen minutes. Remove from heat. Let sit it the hot water another five-ten minutes. Drain and run cold cold water over them til the pan overflows and let sit til they are cold.

MS112586162

02/14/2015

I followed the instructions to the letter, and the shell stuck like epoxy glue. Six eggs wasted.

MS10142057

02/07/2015

just for the record: unless you have chickens in your backyard, you are not buying "fresh" eggs at your local store. They are most likely 3 weeks old or more.

MS10909108

01/17/2015

Eggs will peel more easily if they have set in your refrigerator for approximately 2 weeks,rather than using fresh eggs.

MS112604669

01/01/2015

I am sad on New Year's Day to say that I followed these instructions to the letter, using a digital timer, thinking, "Martha Stewart has got to be reliable on something as simple as eggs." I now have 15 undercooked, mushy eggs, the whites of which are splitting in half when gently tapped and yolks in a semi-translucent state. No deviled eggs at my New Years party now. I will never trust this website again. I used a cookie recipe two years ago that actually had errors; terrible.

MS112604669

01/01/2015

MS10010076

12/21/2014

I made egg salad with a variation that most people might think is crazy. After preparing the eggs, I removed the shells. I placed the shells in a small food processor and pulverized them into a fine powder. I mixed the powdered shells into the eggs and made a delicious eggs salad.

MS112614883

09/13/2014

Worked perfectly for me. Added 2 minutes because eggs came directly from refrigerator.

MS12089613

07/26/2014

Steam them!!! Put your eggs in a steam basket. Low steam for 12 minutes. Transfer to ice water for 3 minutes. Peel under cold water. Perfect! And they last for a week in the fridge!

MS11615186

07/22/2014

Seriously, you don't have to use a dozen eggs to try this out - its just that the typical package is 12 unless you buy from a warehouse store or restaurant supplier then you might be getting a 36 egg flat or so. Jonathan: using water from the tap should be fine (its what most people do, I imagine). You won't be drinking the water, but some may leak into the egg if there are any cracks (it does happen).

MS112584727

07/18/2014

Just used this recipe last night, and the eggs turned out FABULOUS!!! The eggs peeled very well, and had no issues with the egg peeling with the shell! You have to make sure to immediately get them into cold water, and don't let them sit for too long. The idea, is to shock the membrane and cause it to separate from the egg. So the cooler the egg gets, the more chance of the egg peeling with the shell.

MS11645713

07/05/2014

What kind of water should I use?

MS12003063

06/14/2014

If you want half or more of your egg to peel with egg, use this method. If you don't, then I suggest you look elsewhere for a recipe. I wasted an entire dozen eggs. Martha Stewart can't cook boiled eggs worth a damn.

MS112619585

06/08/2014

Wow! I am so grateful for this recipe. Finally the secret of boiling eggs has been disclosed. Now I can enjoy my own hard boiled eggs. Who would have guessed that you have to put the eggs in the water and then boil them? So smart, and yet so easy. I am happy web sites like this exist. What would we do without them.

Anonymous

05/25/2014

Jan Heiser, I disagree. The only way to make hard baked eggs is in a sauce pan with boiling water.

MS10511365

09/24/2013

I use the same basic method, but only leave the eggs 4 to 5 minutes before a cold bath. Americans certainly know how to overcook eggs! I guess it doesn't matter, since most eggs don't taste like much here anyway, alas.

heisjan3751523

09/23/2013

Only way to make hard boiled eggs is in the oven. Put eggs in a muffin tin....one in each [filtered]. Shells on. Bake at 325 degrees for 13 minutes............Roll them over and bake for another 13 minutes. Perfect-O

MS10971177

09/23/2013

Tried this once and didn't work, what works for me is putting eggs in saucepan covered in water, setting on burner at medium high and setting timer for 20 minutes. Then rinse in cold water. Has never failed me.

MS112612862

09/23/2013

I do this all the time but I learned only 8mins and leave them on the heat until it cools off. Then place them under running cold water. And they come out perfect every time.

Anonymous

07/06/2013

I used Sheuzz's recipe. They came out perfect. It was so nice for the shells just to fall off. Thank you Sheuzz!!

MS10925128

03/28/2013

Scroll to sheuzz below for the perfect hard boiled eggs! I've struggled with peeling my HB Eggs forever, but this method did the trick! I will finally have delicious AND beautiful deviled eggs for Easter!

judydklein

03/24/2013

In addition to salt and being at room temperature, make sure you buy your eggs well in advance 10 days is ideal, but 7 is ok. This is the tip my Jewish Mom swears by as we prepare for the Seder!

MS112617787

03/21/2013

To prevent the shell from sticking to the membrane which makes peeling difficult, salt the cooking water with 1 tsp. salt and pierce the broader end of the egg with a thumbtack (drawing pin) before placing in the water. The pinhole also prevents cracking.

MS112617787

03/21/2013

Anonymous

02/13/2013

I have always had a problem making hard boiled eggs, go figure such a simple thing. The shells always stick and I wind up ripping them apart. I tried Martha's way and shells still stuck and then I tried shuezz (poster below) way and for the first time my eggs came out perfect! Thank you so much.

Anonymous

10/29/2012

I would tweak this a bit (from http://www.hardboiled-eggs.com) ... 1. Place the eggs in a single layer at the bottom of a sauce pan or pot. 2. Add water until there is one inch of water over the eggs. 3. Bring the water to a boil (unvcovered). 4. Remove the pot from heat, cover and let stand for 15 minutes. 5. Run cold water over the eggs until they are cold. To avoid an egg cracking while boiling: Remove eggs from the refrigerator and allow them to sit for 20-30 minutes to reach room temp.

admin1186

06/27/2012

That's the same way we do it at my house shuezz. I don't know what this other method seems to be the "foodie" method but it takes longer and does not come out perfect every time. I had never seen a green yolk until I tried this method, lol!

MS11638810

05/25/2012

for those who have problems getting a perfectly peeled egg, maybe you'd like to try how it's done in my family =) 1. rinse refrigerated eggs briefly under room temp tap water. 2. bring a pot of water ( enough to cover all eggs ) to a boil. 3. gently lower eggs into the boiling water. note : cooking too many eggs ( >6 ) at once will significantly lower the water temp at this point. 4. start timer once water is back to a gentle boil - 5 mins for half cooked yolk, 8 mins for fully cooked 5. remove pot from heat & pour out the hot water. 6. fill pot with running tap water to cool the eggs while simultaneously cracking the egg shells all around. 7. let cracked eggs stand in the cool water for about 7-10 mins. 8. peel. key points if you want to avoid sticky shells : 1. never bring eggs to boil with the water 2. crack shells while letting eggs cool in water

MS12325784

04/04/2012

I have a simple solution for this problem of the egg white peeling off. All you need to do is crack the entire outer shell against a hard surface and then peel the shell off... works every time ;-)

MS10228999

01/24/2011

I too have experienced the same messy problem and while peeling leaving loosing most of the white of the egg. Very frustrating. I notice that the thin clear membrane does not detach from the egg white which I think is the main problem. I noticed in the instructions that the eggs should be room temperature. I usually take them straight from the fridge to the pot of water. Next time I will leave the eggs on the counter for a while and test the difference and get back to all. Eileen A.

baycitymeow

10/08/2010

In the last few years our eggs have become very awful to peel. We try all kinds of thricks (use older eggs, salt the water, peel under running water) and we still end up with a mess. Either eggs have changed OR it's our fridge temp or water or something. SOOO Frustrating! Eggs used to be trouble free. What has changed?

MS12131944

07/13/2010

Hard boiling eggs which are farm fresh will yield to eggs which are virtually difficult to peel. Buy eggs and store them for 5-10 days before hard boiling farm fresh eggs. This is because as the eggs age, the carbon dioxide present in the albumin seeps out, thereby reducing its acidity. Research reveals that reduced acidity assists in easier peeling process. From: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/peeling-hard-boiled-eggs.html

MS11926883

06/30/2010

I always add salt to my boiling water and have never had a problem. Not sure if that is the reason, but it's worth a try!

Anonymous

06/17/2010

I have fresh eggs and they just won't peel when I hard boil them. Do you have any tricks?

Anonymous

05/01/2010

I have problems peeling eggs when they're too cold. Run your eggs under water that is about room temp. or let them sit for a short while. When I do this they peel perfectly.

MS10313434

04/04/2010

Martha every year it's the same thing. Eggs that don't want to peel. And if you're taking deviled eggs they should be as flawless as possible. I think I may be using too fresh eggs. Other than trying to peel under cold running water are there any other tricks??

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How to Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs

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Reviews (88)

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