It's Easter: How to make hard-boiled eggs, and more

This is the Easter that you are going to master the hard-boiled egg.

If you are like many of us, you set out to make hard-boiled eggs to decorate for an Easter egg hunt but you typically end up with a stinky kitchen and eggs that are overcooked or cracked. But no more. Pull up a chair and let Times Food Editor Russ Parsons tell you what you've been doing wrong -- and how to make the perfect hard-boiled egg:

"Perhaps the most common problem with hard-boiled eggs is overcooking. That's what happens when the yolks are pale yellow with that familiar green band around the outside. There is frequently the odor of sulfur. This is due to a reaction between traces of iron in the yolk and sulfur in the white. It happens only when the eggs have been overcooked. Perfectly cooked yolks are moist and deep orange. Needless to say, there is no chemical smell. The second-biggest problem is cracked shells that leak yolk and white out into the cooking water. This is caused by too-rapid heating.

How do you avoid these problems? There's one very simple method. Place the eggs in a pan just big enough to hold them in a single layer. Cover them with cold water and bring them to a rolling boil. Cook for one minute, then remove them from the heat. When the water has cooled enough that you can put your hand in (about 20 minutes), the eggs will be perfectly cooked."

From there, you can decorate like you're Martha Stewart and have a ball. And when the Easter Egg hunt is long over, you can use your perfectly hard-boiled eggs to make this egg salad. If you are one of those science types and want to know more, you can read about the science of the hard-boiled egg -- and the rest of Parsons' story -- here. But before you go, check out a veritable Easter basket full of recipe offerings from the L.A. Times Test Kitchen, and more:

--Want to impress your guests? Stuff a leg of lamb. Parsons walks you through it, step-by-step. Photo gallery here.

--Looking for something completely different? How about a look at how Easter in celebrated in Scandinavia, recipes included. And if you're looking for something a bit more traditional, the Times Test kitchen has you covered. Click here.

--It wouldn't be Easter without a chocolate bunny. Take a spin through this photo gallery look at our favorite Easter candies. What's your favorite Easter candy?

--Finally, please let us know how you're celebrating this special time of the year, and the special dishes you prepare for your family. Upload your Seder and Easter photos here so we can all enjoy them.

-- Rene Lynch
twitter.com / renelynch

Photo credit: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[james Singer]

A bit of sacrilege here. I use a Nordic egg boiler. Yeah, microwave contraption. Takes 8 minutes to cook and a few more to cool down. Perfect eggs that peel perfectly without punching hole in them. Two drawbacks: First, the boiler holds only four eggs; second, no stars for boiling them on a wood stove in water hauled up from the creek.

[Ben]

I'll stick with a tried and true method for near sea-level hard boiled eggs:

1. Prick the rounded end of each egg with a push pin or egg pricker to give the air inside the egg an exit, which reduces the chances of the egg shell cracking.

2. Place eggs in a pot large enough to hold them in one layer.

3. Fill pot with cold tap water until eggs are covered with one inch of water.

4. Cover pot and set over high heat. Heat until boiling.

5. After a boil is reached, turn off heat, keep covered, and let sit for 16 minutes.

6. Drain water and cool eggs in running cold tap water until cool enough to handle.

You'll have cooked yolks, no green, and no sulfide.

If cooking at a higher elevation, consider boiling gently for a minute or two longer before turning off heat.

[Bunny]

Best thing to do is crack an egg after 10 minutes, many times I find the center of the yolk is still a bit raw, which is so gross, so I let them set another 10 minutes, and test another egg to be certain, before rinsing in cold water.

[lester]

I was very excited to make this recipe and end my problems with hard-boiled eggs forever! Well, I'm writing in to report that one dozen eggs later, my entire apartment smells like sulfur!! I cooked and colored the eggs yesterday, and the Easter Bunny hid them everywhere during the night. It stinks to high heaven in here! The laughs are at my expense this year...:)

[Polomoche]

Or you could google 'how to boil an egg' and come up with the same recipe

[Derek]

I've got another way to cook boiled eggs. I call it Zen and the art of cooking a boiled-egg. Place the egg into the pan and place pan outside in the sunshine. If the weather gods decree it, the sun will be hot enough to slowly the cook the egg over the course of several weeks. I find this way perfect everytime.

[Derek]

20 minutes to boil an egg? I think I'll stick to my tried and tested 5 minute hot-water blitz, thanks

[Caroline]

How much water do you cover the eggs with? Seems like it would matter. Should there be an inch of water above them or more?

Thanks

[R.S.]

How do you make the colored Easter eggs so shiny, as in the picture?

[boochie]

The perfect hard boiled egg recipe is place eggs in saucepan and cover w/cold water. Bring water to a rolling boil then turn off the heat and cover for 16-minutes. After 16-minutes drain the hot water and add cold water to cover the egs. Repeat a few times to keep the water cold (can add a few cubes of ice) and let the eggs sit in the cold water for 30-minutes. The eggs will peel very easily w/this method as the egg contracts from the shell w/the cold water.

[Jean]

I prefer my hard-boiled eggs "overcooked." No moist and deep orange yolks for me, thank you. I like the pale yellow yolk.

[Ironman Carmichael]

American cooking has always been about overdoing it.

[Soccer Kick Off]

Thank you so much for providing such a informative article on this topic. I really appreciate your work, Please keep it up budy. God Bless you.

[ROSE ELBERT]

I had to print 10 usless pages to get the directions I wanted! Insane and will never use this site again and hope others pay attention to this!

[Scott]

... and yes, the technique described is fine -- but a 10 min rest is sufficient.

[jj]

I don't know what kind of eggs you're cooking, but mine have never been hard-boiled after one minute in the rolling hot water! Those sound a little messy.....

[Scott]

Couldn't you have found a stock photo that doesn't blatantly show the overcooking problem you describe?

Posted by: CHris | April 22, 2011 at 06:01 PM
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LOL, so true. chalky, dry yolks covered in green nastiness, surrounded by rubbery yolks. bleah!

[Margaret]

I don't like to let my eggs sit at room temperature!!! I take them from fridge, cover with cold water, add a little salt to the water to make peeling easier, and boil for 5 1/2 minutes before plunging in ice water. Perfect every time with no worry of e-coli.

[Amazing!]

What a total waste of time!! Come on LAT. How many eggs did you absolutely ruin by boiling in the test kitchen?

[Mr Vanderdecken]

It is more energy efficient and you get the same result each time with a good egg cooker appliance.

My favorite for years has been the one that looks like a white Hen sitting on a nest. Just add water, done and perfect each time.

[TD]

I actually have a 7-step fool proof guide to making the best hard boiled eggs that you've ever had. It's a family recipe that dates back 87 years but has never been written down before. Hopefully grandma is okay with me sharing :). It's a bit unusual, but I think that you'll like it. Check it out at http://TrendDefender.com

[7th planet from the Sun]

Thank you LAT, for daring top use the "E" word. I'm sure much of your readership are appalled at your refusal to call them "Spring Spheres."

[CHris]

Couldn't you have found a stock photo that doesn't blatantly show the overcooking problem you describe?

[EAGD]

@John

Agree: 10 minutes only.

[Joanna Poppink, MFT]

I put the eggs to be dyed in a stove top steamer. Did 18 at once with no cracking.

[John]

Sitting in very hot water for 20 minutes? Way too long.I bring room temperature eggs to a boil and then let them sit for 10 minutes. Plunge them in ice water, eggs are perfect.