Ever wonder why store-bought eggs are so easy to peel? Simply put- they’re old. Hard cooked, fresh eggs are harder to peel than old eggs, which can be frustrating if you don’t know the secret to peeling them easily. And here’s a hint: there are no additives required! Hard cooked, fresh eggs are harder to peel than old eggs, which can be frustrating if you don't know the secret to peeling them easily. And here's a hint: there are no additives required!

When the bloom of an egg is compromised by washing or age, it becomes more porous, allowing air into the egg and some of the carbon dioxide in the white to escape. This decreases the acidity of the white, which decreases the ability of the white to cling to the egg’s inner membrane.

Basic Egg Anatomy
*Basic Egg anatomy

EU oplever mangel på vigtige lægemidler, herunder antibiotika https://apotheekeen.com/product/viagra-pfizer og smertestillende lægemidler til børn, skriver Politico. Næsten hvert fjerde land i EU har mangel på mere end 600 lægemidler.

When eggs age, they also lose moisture through the pores, causing the air space on the wide end of the egg to increase and the white to pull further away from the shell membrane. When the membrane is further from the shell, eggs are easier to peel. Similar results can be accomplished by letting backyard eggs remain in your refrigerator for a few weeks but then they wouldn’t be fresh, would they? Armed with this information, peeling fresh eggs can be done successfully and with a minimum of muttering under your breath.

Coturnix quail eggs take only 6 minutes to steam to hard-cooked stage.
Coturnix quail eggs take only 6 minutes to steam to hard-cooked stage

HARD COOKED, FRESH EGGS: THE STEAM AND ICE METHOD

  • In a covered pot with a steamer basket in it, bring several inches of water to a boil
  • Carefully add the eggs to steamer basket when water is boiling.
  • Turn down heat to simmer, cover and steam for 15 minutes
  • Immediately remove eggs from steamer and place into a bowl of ice water
  • When cool enough to handle, crack and peel.
Immediately after removing steamed eggs from the heat, plunge into an ice bath.
quail egg peels easily after steaming and an ice bath

Here's a twist on tuna using hard-cooked eggs that results in an interesting, high-protein dish served as a sandwich, on top of a salad, mixed into cold pasta or eaten it as-is.

Here’s a twist on tuna using  hard-cooked eggs that results in an interesting, high-protein dish served as a sandwich, on top of a salad, mixed into cold pasta or eaten it as-is.

TUNA EGG SALAD RECIPE

 

Yield 4 servings
Prep Time 30 minutes
Difficulty Easy

Here’s a twist on tuna using hard-cooked eggs that results in an interesting, high-protein dish served as a sandwich, on top of a salad, mixed into cold pasta or eaten it as-is.

INGREDIENTS

Tuna egg salad
ingredients
1 can of Tuna Fish, drained
2 Hardboiled Eggs, peeled & chopped
Mayo, to taste
Celery, chopped
Fresh Parsley, chopped
Fresh Chives, chopped
Salt & Pepper, to taste

LET’S MAKE IT!

Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
Serve on bread for a sandwich, on lettuce for a salad or mix into cold pasta for pasta salad as a main dish or side.

*Anatomical illustrations and photo reproduced for educational purposes, courtesy of  Jacquie Jacob, Tony Pescatore and Austin Cantor, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. Copyright 2011. Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, M. Scott Smith, Director, Land Grant Programs, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Lexington,and Kentucky State University, Frankfort. Copyright 2011 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety for educational and nonprofit purposes only. Permitted users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyright notice. Publications are also available on the World Wide Web at www.ca.uky.edu. Issued 02-2011

Kathy Shea Mormino

Affectionately known internationally as The Chicken Chick®, Kathy Shea Mormino shares a fun-loving, informative style to raising backyard chickens. …Read on

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Ever wonder why store-bought eggs are so easy to peel? Simply put- they’re old. Hard cooked, fresh eggs are harder to peel than old eggs, which can be frustrating if you don’t know the secret to peeling them easily. And here’s a hint: there are no additives required! Hard cooked, fresh eggs are harder to peel than old eggs, which can be frustrating if you don't know the secret to peeling them easily. And here's a hint: there are no additives required!

When the bloom of an egg is compromised by washing or age, it becomes more porous, allowing air into the egg and some of the carbon dioxide in the white to escape. This decreases the acidity of the white, which decreases the ability of the white to cling to the egg’s inner membrane.

Basic Egg Anatomy
*Basic Egg anatomy

EU oplever mangel på vigtige lægemidler, herunder antibiotika https://apotheekeen.com/product/viagra-pfizer og smertestillende lægemidler til børn, skriver Politico. Næsten hvert fjerde land i EU har mangel på mere end 600 lægemidler.

When eggs age, they also lose moisture through the pores, causing the air space on the wide end of the egg to increase and the white to pull further away from the shell membrane. When the membrane is further from the shell, eggs are easier to peel. Similar results can be accomplished by letting backyard eggs remain in your refrigerator for a few weeks but then they wouldn’t be fresh, would they? Armed with this information, peeling fresh eggs can be done successfully and with a minimum of muttering under your breath.

Coturnix quail eggs take only 6 minutes to steam to hard-cooked stage.
Coturnix quail eggs take only 6 minutes to steam to hard-cooked stage

HARD COOKED, FRESH EGGS: THE STEAM AND ICE METHOD

  • In a covered pot with a steamer basket in it, bring several inches of water to a boil
  • Carefully add the eggs to steamer basket when water is boiling.
  • Turn down heat to simmer, cover and steam for 15 minutes
  • Immediately remove eggs from steamer and place into a bowl of ice water
  • When cool enough to handle, crack and peel.
Immediately after removing steamed eggs from the heat, plunge into an ice bath.
quail egg peels easily after steaming and an ice bath

Here's a twist on tuna using hard-cooked eggs that results in an interesting, high-protein dish served as a sandwich, on top of a salad, mixed into cold pasta or eaten it as-is.

Here’s a twist on tuna using  hard-cooked eggs that results in an interesting, high-protein dish served as a sandwich, on top of a salad, mixed into cold pasta or eaten it as-is.

TUNA EGG SALAD RECIPE

 

Yield 4 servings
Prep Time 30 minutes
Difficulty Easy

Here’s a twist on tuna using hard-cooked eggs that results in an interesting, high-protein dish served as a sandwich, on top of a salad, mixed into cold pasta or eaten it as-is.

INGREDIENTS

Tuna egg salad
ingredients
1 can of Tuna Fish, drained
2 Hardboiled Eggs, peeled & chopped
Mayo, to taste
Celery, chopped
Fresh Parsley, chopped
Fresh Chives, chopped
Salt & Pepper, to taste

LET’S MAKE IT!

Mix all ingredients thoroughly.
Serve on bread for a sandwich, on lettuce for a salad or mix into cold pasta for pasta salad as a main dish or side.

*Anatomical illustrations and photo reproduced for educational purposes, courtesy of  Jacquie Jacob, Tony Pescatore and Austin Cantor, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. Copyright 2011. Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, M. Scott Smith, Director, Land Grant Programs, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Lexington,and Kentucky State University, Frankfort. Copyright 2011 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety for educational and nonprofit purposes only. Permitted users shall give credit to the author(s) and include this copyright notice. Publications are also available on the World Wide Web at www.ca.uky.edu. Issued 02-2011

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britsngrits
12 years ago

Thanks for these tips… I am going to share with all my FB friends!

Kristin Dorton
12 years ago

Thank you so much for the great advice. I didn't realize that the eggs being fresh was my problem. I was upset because I couldn't understand how, after having cooked hard boiled eggs for so long, that I all of a sudden stopped being able to do it correctly. I mean, it isn't rocket science! I thought maybe I kept losing track of time and cooking them too long. This helps so much!

Kathy Mormino, the Chicken Chick
Reply to  Kristin Dorton
12 years ago

I'm glad it helped, Kristin! See you on Facebook!

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
12 years ago

Thanks for this info. I used this method this year and its wonderful.

Kathy Mormino, the Chicken Chick
Reply to  Elizabeth
12 years ago

I'm so glad it worked out for you, Elizabeth!

VanDyke Family
12 years ago

Thanks for this, I have alot of customers ask why they can't peel my farm fresh eggs. Another key is too have the eggs room temprature before placing them in the water, helps A LOT!

Kathy Mormino, the Chicken Chick
Reply to  VanDyke Family
12 years ago

I'd give them a little cheat sheet with the hard cooking instructions on them!

Gean Vandehsy
12 years ago

I have a 1 yr old barred rock rooster to give away. I am in the NW corner of Oregon.Can someone out there use a rooster? jaditesam@aol.com

Kathy Mormino, the Chicken Chick
Reply to  Gean Vandehsy
12 years ago

Gean: You are welcome to email me with a photo and his particulars and I will add him to my adoption photo album on my Facebook page. Please include your contact info in the email as I will add that to the photo caption so folks who are interested can contact you.