The Great Hard-Cooked Egg Experiment...

Part 2!

As I posted last week, I’m on a quest to find a way to hard-cook fresh eggs, of any size or color, which leaves them easy to peel and perfectly cooked.  I’m a bit OCD, and it drives me crazy that so much egg white comes off with the shell.  I miss the days of easy-to-peel hard-cooked eggs, and I’m beginning to think they are simply a figment of my imagination.

We have pet chickens, so farm-fresh eggs are fairly abundant.  Now, if you're like me, you are well-aware of the philosophy that fresh eggs won't work -- you have to boil older eggs to be able to cleanly peel them (while leaving the egg white intact).  I'm out to find a way to hard-cook my fresh eggs and have enough egg white (and sanity) intact to make beautiful deviled eggs.

Misty's PERFECT eggs! 

Boiling Water Method

This week, I tried a method recommended by my friend and fellow chicken-raiser & chicken-lover, Misty. She described her method to me, which I also found on several websites.  Basically, you bring the water to a boil before adding the eggs to the water, boil for 15 minutes, then immerse in an ice bath.  After the eggs are cool, crack all over and peel.  She posted a picture of her lovely eggs -- of which I'm quite jealous -- and I'm out to duplicate her results.



If you're looking for a website for the method, here are two:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Making-hard-boiled-eggs-with-FRESH-eggs/?ALLSTEPS
http://www.goodstuffnw.com/2013/06/my-new-superpower-hard-boiling-fresh.html


As I did last week, I started with 9 super-fresh eggs, laid over the past two days.  I was using the perfectly-sized pan to cook dinner, so I used a larger pan than I normally would.  I put enough water in it to cover the eggs I would add, then put the pan on the stove and brought the water to a boil.  I added the eggs, and set the timer for 15 minutes.

I fished the eggs out of the hot water using a slotted spoon, and put them into an icewater bath.

Nine eggs, all different sizes.  Some small, medium and large (and all quite lovely, if I don't say so myself).

My Results

Egg #1: Perfect! (This egg had a small crack in the shell)

Egg #2: Also perfect!

Egg #3:  Another perfect egg!  Could it be?

Egg #4:  Rats! Well, you can't win them all, right?

Egg #5: I'm getting very hopeful right now!

Egg #6: I love these blue eggs!

Egg #7: There's a water droplet on my lens in for the first shot.

Egg #8: Seriously, only one bad one out of...

Egg #9: Well, TWO bad eggs out of 9.  Still, waaaaaay better than last week!

So, in a nutshell, out of nine eggs, only two came out questionable.  The first "error," was the fattest egg I boiled.  Maybe that had something to do with it, or maybe not.  As for the last one, I didn't crack the egg very well, and it may be why it didn't come off cleanly.  

The verdict?

I'll probably try this method again, but I might add a couple of minutes to the timer, because the smaller eggs all came out beautifully.  Perhaps the largest eggs needed a little more time? At any rate, they turned out better than my average, so it's at the top of my list...

... for now...  (maniacal laughter ensues...)

The Great Hard-Cooked Egg Experiment….

Part 1

 So, I’m on a quest to find a way to hard-cook fresh eggs, of any size or color, which leaves them easy to peel and perfectly cooked.  I’m a bit OCD, and it drives me crazy that so much egg white comes off with the shell.  I miss the days of easy-to-peel hard-cooked eggs, and I’m beginning to think they are simply a figment of my imagination.

We have pet chickens, so farm-fresh eggs are fairly abundant.  Now, if you're like me, you are well-aware of the philosophy that fresh eggs won't work -- you have to boil older eggs to be able to cleanly peel them (while leaving the egg white intact).  I'm out to find a way to hard-cook my fresh eggs and have enough egg white (and sanity) intact to make beautiful deviled eggs. 

Steamed Method

Recipe/Method: http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2012/01/hard-steamed-eggs.html

According to this website, I should be able to cook my super-fresh eggs and they should peel well.  Please keep in mind that I'm at a relatively high altitude (4400 ft. above sea level), so that may (or may not) play into how they cook.  

I started with 9 freshly-laid eggs, laid over a 2-day period.  Those are some SERIOUSLY fresh eggs!

I used a medium-size pot, with a steamer “flower” in the bottom.  Unfortunately, I do not own a bamboo steamer, and I wanted to be sure the steam was fairly even around the eggs, so I chose to not use my double-boiler-style steam pot, which is pretty small.  

I chose to cook several eggs, to account for any variables within the eggs.  You'll notice the shells are different colors; this doesn't have any bearing on what the eggs taste like -- they just look pretty in the carton!  The eggs to vary slightly in size.

Following the instructions outlined on the website, I brought the water to a boil, rinsed each egg in warm water and added the eggs.  I put the lid on the pot, and then set the timer for 20 minutes. When it went off, the eggs went into the waiting ice water bath. It really only took a couple of minutes for them to cool off “until they are cool enough to peel.”

So, how did they turn out?

Egg #1:  Well, it could be better…. Kinda bummed at this point.

Egg #2: Wow! THAT came out PERFECT!!!

Egg #3: Ugh…

Egg #4:  It started out looking promising, but ended badly… VERY badly…

Egg #5:  Oh, my.... Disaster struck again!

Egg #6:  Not as bad as some, but still not perfect.

Egg #7: It looked so good to begin with.  The peel looked like it would just slip off…. Sadly, NOT…

Egg #8:  Hmmm… Not bad!

Egg #9:  Seriously?  Grrr!

So, did my farm-fresh eggs peel perfectly?

NAILED it!

Mondays suck.

I know this well.  From experience.  Personal experience.

Last night, Brat2 told me how to wake her up.  "Just shake my arm and say 'BratGirl, wake up BratGirl!' and make me sit up."  I tried to tell her it wouldn't go well, but she disagreed. 

So, I tried it.  

It didn't go well.

I shook her arm, saying, "Braaaaaaaaaaat Giiiiiirrrrlll, wake uuuuuuup."  

She rolled over on her stomach.

About 5 minutes later, she yelled at me to leave her alone, saying "you're doing it wrong!"

Shheesh!

After Hubby left to drive her to school, I tried to get in the shower (at about 7:30).  My cell phone rang.  It was Hubby. "I forgot I have an 8 am meeting, so you need to drive Brat1."  

Grrrrrrrrr!

I managed to get my shower in (no makeup), still get Brat3 on the bus at 8:12, AND get Brat1 to school (albeit 30 minutes late).

I got to work, clocked in at 9:02, and at 11:11 recieved a call to come get Brat2.  She threw up.  

***Sighs***

Clocked out for 1 hour + 10 minutes.  Grabbed lunch on my way back.  Will probably end up staying late today.

I suppose, it could always be worse... :)