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Hard-Cooked Eggs

Hard-Cooked Eggs

By Milk StreetMarch 20, 2024

  • Makes
    Makes 6 to 8 eggs
  • Cook Time
    20 minutes
  • Rating

There are many ways to hard-cook an egg, but after much testing, we found no better method than the one used by Chris Edwards, chef at Le Saint Sebastien in Paris’ 11th arrondissement and vice-champion of the 2021 Oeuf Mayo World Championship (oeuf mayo is a classic French bistro hors d’oeuvre of hard-cooked eggs garnished with mayonnaise). Added to boiling water, simmered vigorously, then shocked in icy water, eggs emerge not only perfectly cooked, the shells peel away cleanly and easily. This approach worked for softer-cooked eggs, too. Boiling for 6 to 6½ minutes gave us perfectly just-runny yolks; 8½ to 9 minutes for medium yolks; and 12½ to 13 minutes for hard-cooked yolks.

Ingredients
  • 6 to 8

    cold whole large eggs in their shells

Step 1

Fill a large saucepan with 3 inches of water; bring to a boil over medium-high. Using a slotted spoon, lower the eggs into the water. Cook, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a vigorous simmer but not a hard boil, 12½ to 13 minutes for hard-cooked yolks. While the eggs cook, fill a large bowl with about 4 cups ice and 2 cups water; set near the stove.

Step 2

When the eggs are done, use the slotted spoon to quickly transfer them to the ice bath; cool for 3 minutes, then remove (if left in the ice bath for longer, the eggs may be more difficult to peel). Gently tap each egg against the counter, turning it so the shell cracks all around. Peel away the shell along with the thin membrane underneath.

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