Real Simple Cooking School

How To: Hard-Boil an Egg

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Hard-boiling eggs is almost as easy as boiling water, if you know the right process: Cooking eggs too long or too vigorously can result in cracked shells, tough whites, and green-gray, sulfuric-smelling yolks. The gentle method shown in this video works every time.
What You Need
Eggs, saucepan with lid, cold water, timer, bowl

Follow These Four Easy Steps

How To: Hard Boil An Egg Step 1
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1Place eggs in a pot filled with cold water

Set eggs in a single layer in a saucepan. Water should cover eggs by one to two inches.

How To: Hard Boil An Egg Step 2
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2Boil the water

Bring the water to a full, rolling boil, and cover the saucepan. Turn off the stove, remove the pot from the burner, and let it stand, covered, for 12 minutes (set the timer).

How To: Hard Boil An Egg Step 3
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3Submerge the eggs in cold water

Drain the pot, and transfer the eggs to a bowl of cold water, to stop the cooking process.

How To: Hard Boil An Egg Step 4
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4Crack and peel the eggs

Tap each egg a few times to crack its shell, then roll it on a work surface to break the shell completely. Start peeling, dunking the egg into the bowl of water as you go to wash away any bits of shell.

Get more hard-boiled egg recipes.

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