I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but please
bear with me.

I put a few eggs into boiling water to hard-boil them. Within about
30 seconds, I heard a very loud CRACK! noise, looked in the pot and
saw one of the eggs losing its contents into the water. At the end
of the boiling period, there was a moderate sized hole in the shell
of that egg, and it was floating, so probably mostly empty.

I've had eggs crack and lose some of their contents before, but never
with so much force, making such a loud noise. Has anyone had this
experience before? It makes me wonder whether something was wrong
with the egg, eg, maybe it was spoiled, and pressure from gas inside
the shell (from bacteria) caused it to crack really forcefully. Can't
say I've ever heard of this happening, though.

They were in the refrigerator prior to being put into the boiling
water, but that's always the case when I boil eggs (which I do very
regularly). Also, I usually put salt into the water before adding
the eggs, which helps keep them from cracking, but I'd forgotten this
time.

I realize this post is a little weird and might end up fodder for
jokes, but I'm actually a bit phobic about food poisoning, so I'd
appreciate at least a *few* serious answers.

Thanks.

Joyce
--
To email me, remove the XXX from my user name.

> wrote:

>I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but please
>bear with me.
>
>I put a few eggs into boiling water to hard-boil them. Within about
>30 seconds, I heard a very loud CRACK! noise, looked in the pot and
>saw one of the eggs losing its contents into the water. At the end
>of the boiling period, there was a moderate sized hole in the shell
>of that egg, and it was floating, so probably mostly empty.
>
>I've had eggs crack and lose some of their contents before, but never
>with so much force, making such a loud noise. Has anyone had this
>experience before? It makes me wonder whether something was wrong
>with the egg, eg, maybe it was spoiled, and pressure from gas inside
>the shell (from bacteria) caused it to crack really forcefully. Can't
>say I've ever heard of this happening, though.
>
>They were in the refrigerator prior to being put into the boiling
>water, but that's always the case when I boil eggs (which I do very
>regularly). Also, I usually put salt into the water before adding
>the eggs, which helps keep them from cracking, but I'd forgotten this
>time.
>
>I realize this post is a little weird and might end up fodder for
>jokes, but I'm actually a bit phobic about food poisoning, so I'd
>appreciate at least a *few* serious answers.

Coulda been a weak-shelled egg, perhaps a keep commercial
egg instead of a farm egg.

Or you coulda been boiling it too hard. If I'm paying attention,
once the eggs reach a boil I reduce heat to a simmer. Then
in a few minutes I turn off the heat entirely to let them coast.

Steve

wrote:
> I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but please
> bear with me.
>
> I put a few eggs into boiling water to hard-boil them. Within about
> 30 seconds, I heard a very loud CRACK! noise, looked in the pot and
> saw one of the eggs losing its contents into the water. At the end
> of the boiling period, there was a moderate sized hole in the shell
> of that egg, and it was floating, so probably mostly empty.

<clipped stuff written that I don't have the patience to read...>

Have you considered putting the eggs into cold tap water in the pot and
*then* bringing them up to a boil?? I thought that was the standard
method, but certainly could be mistaken...?

> wrote in message
...
>I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but please
> bear with me.
>
> I put a few eggs into boiling water to hard-boil them. Within about
> 30 seconds, I heard a very loud CRACK! noise, looked in the pot and
> saw one of the eggs losing its contents into the water. At the end
> of the boiling period, there was a moderate sized hole in the shell
> of that egg, and it was floating, so probably mostly empty.
>
> I've had eggs crack and lose some of their contents before, but never
> with so much force, making such a loud noise. Has anyone had this
> experience before? It makes me wonder whether something was wrong
> with the egg, eg, maybe it was spoiled, and pressure from gas inside
> the shell (from bacteria) caused it to crack really forcefully. Can't
> say I've ever heard of this happening, though.
>
> They were in the refrigerator prior to being put into the boiling
> water, but that's always the case when I boil eggs (which I do very
> regularly). Also, I usually put salt into the water before adding
> the eggs, which helps keep them from cracking, but I'd forgotten this
> time.
>
> I realize this post is a little weird and might end up fodder for
> jokes, but I'm actually a bit phobic about food poisoning, so I'd
> appreciate at least a *few* serious answers.


Probably just a weak shell. Store eggs typically have really thin shells
these days. You can get little egg pokers that have a spring loaded needle
to puncture the shell to relieve the air when it cooks.

Paul

On 02 Jul 2009 07:26:58 GMT, shouted from the
highest rooftop:

>I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but please
>bear with me.
>
>I put a few eggs into boiling water to hard-boil them. Within about
>30 seconds, I heard a very loud CRACK! noise, looked in the pot and
>saw one of the eggs losing its contents into the water. At the end
>of the boiling period, there was a moderate sized hole in the shell
>of that egg, and it was floating, so probably mostly empty.

No surprise you've had eggs crack before - although the one you're
describing probably had little left in it once it cracked so badly.

Next time put a small hole in the top of each egg (I use a map pin)
then take the water off the boil just long enough to lower the egg/s
into the water slowly, then quickly put back on the element/gas to
continue boiling. No cracks. No floating eggs.

Another method is to take the eggs you intend boiling out of the
fridge and let them get to room temperature. But even then, they can
sometimes crack.

Get some map pins, mate.

--

una cerveza mas por favor ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~
Wax-up and drop-in of Surfing's Golden Years: <http://www.surfwriter.net>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~

Goomba wrote:
> wrote:
>> I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but please
>> bear with me.
>>
>> I put a few eggs into boiling water to hard-boil them. Within about
>> 30 seconds, I heard a very loud CRACK! noise, looked in the pot and
>> saw one of the eggs losing its contents into the water. At the end
>> of the boiling period, there was a moderate sized hole in the shell
>> of that egg, and it was floating, so probably mostly empty.
>
> <clipped stuff written that I don't have the patience to read...>
>
> Have you considered putting the eggs into cold tap water in the pot
> and *then* bringing them up to a boil?? I thought that was the
> standard method, but certainly could be mistaken...?

That struck me, too. Back when I was first on my own, it was one
of my first lessons ... you put eggs into boiling water, many of them
will break. Start with cold.

nancy

bob wrote:
> On 02 Jul 2009 07:26:58 GMT, shouted from the
> highest rooftop:
>
>> I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but please
>> bear with me.
>>
>> I put a few eggs into boiling water to hard-boil them. Within about
>> 30 seconds, I heard a very loud CRACK! noise, looked in the pot and
>> saw one of the eggs losing its contents into the water. At the end
>> of the boiling period, there was a moderate sized hole in the shell
>> of that egg, and it was floating, so probably mostly empty.
>
> No surprise you've had eggs crack before - although the one you're
> describing probably had little left in it once it cracked so badly.
>
> Next time put a small hole in the top of each egg (I use a map pin)
> then take the water off the boil just long enough to lower the egg/s
> into the water slowly, then quickly put back on the element/gas to
> continue boiling. No cracks. No floating eggs.
>
> Another method is to take the eggs you intend boiling out of the
> fridge and let them get to room temperature. But even then, they can
> sometimes crack.
>
> Get some map pins, mate.
>

Another tip... I have discovered that eggs need to be closely
inspected. Even when a casual inspection indicates a perfect egg,
you sometimes see little cracks. Some of these cracks appear to
have been sealed with clear wax (or something similar). Now I am
wondering whether that is a natural phenomenon. Anyway, if I
disregard these seemingly trivial imperfections, I end up with
burst eggs.

--
Jean B.

Goomba wrote on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:49:09 -0400:

> wrote:
>> I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but
>> please bear with me.
>>
>> I put a few eggs into boiling water to hard-boil them. Within
>> about 30 seconds, I heard a very loud CRACK! noise, looked in
>> the pot and saw one of the eggs losing its contents into the water.
>> At the end of the boiling period, there was a moderate
>> sized hole in the shell of that egg, and it was floating, so probably
>> mostly empty.

> <clipped stuff written that I don't have the patience to
> read...>

>Have you considered putting the eggs into cold tap water in the pot and
>*then* bringing them up to a boil?? I thought that was the standard
>method, but certainly could be mistaken...?

That's how I hard boil eggs too but it's by no means standard. I might
mention that an addition to those in instructions is to turn of the heat
and wait 20 minutes once a full boil has been attained; economical too!

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

Jean wrote on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:28:21 -0400:

> bob wrote:
>> On 02 Jul 2009 07:26:58 GMT, shouted from the
>> highest rooftop:
>>
>>> I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but
>>> please bear with me.
>>>
>>> I put a few eggs into boiling water to hard-boil them.
>>> Within about 30 seconds, I heard a very loud CRACK! noise,
>>> looked in the pot and saw one of the eggs losing its
>>> contents into the water. At the end of the boiling period,
>>> there was a moderate sized hole in the shell of that egg,
>>> and it was floating, so probably mostly empty.
>>
>> No surprise you've had eggs crack before - although the one
>> you're describing probably had little left in it once it
>> cracked so badly.
>>
>> Next time put a small hole in the top of each egg (I use a
>> map pin) then take the water off the boil just long enough to
>> lower the egg/s into the water slowly, then quickly put back on the
>> element/gas to continue boiling. No cracks. No
>> floating eggs.
>>
>> Another method is to take the eggs you intend boiling out of the
>> fridge and let them get to room temperature. But even
>> then, they can sometimes crack. Get some map pins, mate.
>>
> Another tip... I have discovered that eggs need to be closely
> inspected. Even when a casual inspection indicates a perfect egg, you
> sometimes see little cracks. Some of these cracks
> appear to have been sealed with clear wax (or something
> similar). Now I am wondering whether that is a natural
> phenomenon. Anyway, if I disregard these seemingly trivial
> imperfections, I end up with burst eggs.

I don't think inspection is worth the trouble unless you don't have any
more eggs available.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

> wrote in message
...
>I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but please
> bear with me.
>
> I put a few eggs into boiling water to hard-boil them. Within about
> 30 seconds, I heard a very loud CRACK! noise, looked in the pot and
> saw one of the eggs losing its contents into the water. At the end
> of the boiling period, there was a moderate sized hole in the shell
> of that egg, and it was floating, so probably mostly empty.
>
> I've had eggs crack and lose some of their contents before, but never
> with so much force, making such a loud noise. Has anyone had this
> experience before? It makes me wonder whether something was wrong
> with the egg, eg, maybe it was spoiled, and pressure from gas inside
> the shell (from bacteria) caused it to crack really forcefully. Can't
> say I've ever heard of this happening, though.
>
> They were in the refrigerator prior to being put into the boiling
> water, but that's always the case when I boil eggs (which I do very
> regularly). Also, I usually put salt into the water before adding
> the eggs, which helps keep them from cracking, but I'd forgotten this
> time.
>
> I realize this post is a little weird and might end up fodder for
> jokes, but I'm actually a bit phobic about food poisoning, so I'd
> appreciate at least a *few* serious answers.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Joyce
> --
> To email me, remove the XXX from my user name.


Fresh eggs? Week old eggs are better for boiling, they don't crack open
when the water boils. They're better for scrambling or making basted (heh),
over easy or even fried eggs.

Jill

"Goomba" > wrote in message
...
> wrote:
>> I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but please
>> bear with me.
>>
>> I put a few eggs into boiling water to hard-boil them. Within about
>> 30 seconds, I heard a very loud CRACK! noise, looked in the pot and
>> saw one of the eggs losing its contents into the water. At the end
>> of the boiling period, there was a moderate sized hole in the shell
>> of that egg, and it was floating, so probably mostly empty.
>
> <clipped stuff written that I don't have the patience to read...>
>
> Have you considered putting the eggs into cold tap water in the pot and
> *then* bringing them up to a boil?? I thought that was the standard
> method, but certainly could be mistaken...?


You're right, Goomba. My mother loved soft boiled eggs for breakfast (in
fact it was her last meal, per her request). Always start them in cold
water then bring it to a boil. Older eggs work better for boiled eggs,
regardless of how well done you want them.

Jill

On Jul 2, 8:36*am, "jmcquown" > wrote:
> "Goomba" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> > wrote:
> >> I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but please
> >> bear with me.
>
> >> I put a few eggs into boiling water to hard-boil them. Within about
> >> 30 seconds, I heard a very loud CRACK! noise, looked in the pot and
> >> saw one of the eggs losing its contents into the water. At the end
> >> of the boiling period, there was a moderate sized hole in the shell
> >> of that egg, and it was floating, so probably mostly empty.
>
> > <clipped stuff written that I don't have the patience to read...>
>
> > Have you considered putting the eggs into cold tap water in the pot and
> > *then* bringing them up to a boil?? * I thought that was the standard
> > method, but certainly could be mistaken...?
>
> You're right, Goomba. *My mother loved soft boiled eggs for breakfast (in
> fact it was her last meal, per her request). *Always start them in cold
> water then bring it to a boil. *Older eggs work better for boiled eggs,
> regardless of how well done you want them.
>
> Jill

Older eggs make for better hard boiled eggs, and should be left out
for room temp. plus monce the water boils, turn the heat off and time
eggs for 15 minutes in closed pot. Perfecgt hard boiled egss every
time.

On Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:30:07 GMT, "James Silverton"
> wrote:

> Goomba wrote on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:49:09 -0400:
>
>> wrote:
>>> I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but
>>> please bear with me.
>>>
>>> I put a few eggs into boiling water to hard-boil them. Within
>>> about 30 seconds, I heard a very loud CRACK! noise, looked in
>>> the pot and saw one of the eggs losing its contents into the water.
>>> At the end of the boiling period, there was a moderate
>>> sized hole in the shell of that egg, and it was floating, so probably
>>> mostly empty.
>
>> <clipped stuff written that I don't have the patience to
>> read...>
>
>>Have you considered putting the eggs into cold tap water in the pot and
> >*then* bringing them up to a boil?? I thought that was the standard
>>method, but certainly could be mistaken...?
>
>That's how I hard boil eggs too but it's by no means standard. I might
>mention that an addition to those in instructions is to turn of the heat
>and wait 20 minutes once a full boil has been attained; economical too!

I tried that too but the shells still stuck. Now I boil them gently
for ten minutes, rinse to cool and into the frig. I had problems with
them for years but they come out fine now.

V

On Jul 2, 9:08*am, Vesper > wrote:
> On Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:30:07 GMT, "James Silverton"
>
>
>
>
>
> > wrote:
> > Goomba *wrote *on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:49:09 -0400:
>
> >> wrote:
> >>> I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but
> >>> please bear with me.
>
> >>> I put a few eggs into boiling water to hard-boil them. Within
> >>> about 30 seconds, I heard a very loud CRACK! noise, looked in
> >>> the pot and saw one of the eggs losing its contents into the water.
> >>> At the end of the boiling period, there was a moderate
> >>> sized hole in the shell of that egg, and it was floating, so probably
> >>> mostly empty.
>
> >> <clipped stuff written that I don't have the patience to
> >> read...>
>
> >>Have you considered putting the eggs into cold tap water in the pot and
> > >*then* bringing them up to a boil?? * I thought that was the standard
> >>method, but certainly could be mistaken...?
>
> >That's how I hard boil eggs too but it's by no means standard. I might
> >mention that an addition to those in instructions is to turn of the heat
> >and wait 20 minutes once a full boil has been attained; economical too!
>
> I tried that too but the shells still stuck. *Now I boil them gently
> for ten minutes, rinse to cool and into the frig. *I had problems with
> them for years but they come out fine now.
>
> V- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Ok thanks, I'll try that method of boiling at a slow low heat for 10
minutes.

On 02 Jul 2009 07:26:58 GMT, wrote:

>looked in the pot and
>saw one of the eggs losing its contents into the water.

put a teaspoon of vinegar in the water. The acid will coagulate the
whites.

On Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:49:09 -0400, Goomba >
wrote:

> I thought that was the standard
>method, but certainly could be mistaken...?

It is the correct method.....and stir until coming to a boil. This
will center your yolks.

Mr. Bill wrote:
> On 02 Jul 2009 07:26:58 GMT, wrote:
>
>> looked in the pot and
>> saw one of the eggs losing its contents into the water.
>
> put a teaspoon of vinegar in the water. The acid will coagulate the
> whites.

she's not asking how to coagulate the egg white, she's asking how to
cook the eggs in the shell so that they don't break when making hard
boiled eggs.

On 02 Jul 2009 07:26:58 GMT, wrote:

>They were in the refrigerator prior to being put into the boiling
>water, but that's always the case when I boil eggs (which I do very
>regularly). Also, I usually put salt into the water before adding
>the eggs, which helps keep them from cracking, but I'd forgotten this
>time.
They probably had some microscopic cracks that you didn't notice. I
always use my eggs directly from the refrigerator too (mainly because
I don't think about taking them out before I need them) so I "temper"
them by dipping them quickly in and out of the boiling water before I
lower them into the hot tub. It minimizes problems with cracks if
something happens anyway. Oh, yes... I also lower the heat to a point
where the water is still boiling but it's not at a full rolling boil.
>
>I realize this post is a little weird and might end up fodder for
>jokes, but I'm actually a bit phobic about food poisoning, so I'd
>appreciate at least a *few* serious answers.

It's not weird... boiling eggs comes up at least twice a year, food
poisoning comes up even more often.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Jul 2, 2:26*am, wrote:
> I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but please
> bear with me.
>
Joyce,

Here's my fail-safe method. As others have said they do, I poke a hole
with a map pin, but be sure to do that in the more rounded end of the
egg (which is where the air-sac is), then lower them into water that's
just simmering. If I'm concerned that one or more might have a weak
shell, I'll splash in some vinegar to coagulate the white as it breaks
out, as someone else has said.

After 12 minutes of simmering, I pour out the water and rattle the
eggs around in the pan to crack the shells (got this from Jacques
Pepin) and then cool them in running water. The cracking lets the cool
water in to help separate the eggs from their shells. When they're
cool, they can be easily shelled by just rubbing them on the counter
until the shell is broken into tiny shards all around.

Most, if not all, of the shards stick to the membrane, so it's easy to
get a nicely peeled egg with no nasty green, sulfurous layer around
the yolk.

David

I start em in cold water, bring to a rolling boil, them immediately
remove em from the burner. Let stand 18 minutes, then plunge into ice
water and let em stand a good while before peeling. I've never had a
crack, let alone an explosion. Prob. an cracked egg hitting too hot
water.

In article >,
wrote:

> I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but please
> bear with me.
>
> I put a few eggs into boiling water to hard-boil them. Within about
> 30 seconds, I heard a very loud CRACK! noise, looked in the pot and
> saw one of the eggs losing its contents into the water. At the end
> of the boiling period, there was a moderate sized hole in the shell
> of that egg, and it was floating, so probably mostly empty.

<snippety>

If you look carefully at commercial eggs, sometimes even intact ones
will have fine "craze" lines. When I purchase eggs, I open the cartons
and remove any eggs that are the least bit damaged as those can
introduce contamination into the eggs interior.

I like my yolks runny and do NOT take chances! I've had Salmonella once
and do not care to repeat the experience. I open a second carton and
exchange the bad eggs for good ones. Mom taught me to do this as a very
small child. If others do this, you eventually end up with a carton of
only bad eggs and she taught me to leave said carton OPEN for others to
do the same.

Those eggs can be returned by the store for credit.

There is no reason to pay good money for damaged eggs...

I'm betting you had a slightly damaged egg that was not completely
cracked.
--
Peace! Om

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
-- Anon.


Subscribe:

jmcquown (Hi Jill! ) wrote:

> Fresh eggs? Week old eggs are better for boiling, they don't crack open
> when the water boils. They're better for scrambling or making basted (heh),
> over easy or even fried eggs.

These were about a week old, actually.

--
Joyce ^..^

To email me, remove the XXX from my user name.

Steve wrote:

> Coulda been a weak-shelled egg, perhaps a keep commercial
> egg instead of a farm egg.

These were a commercial brand.

> Or you coulda been boiling it too hard.

That's quite possible. Although it wasn't any different from what I
usually do.

> once the eggs reach a boil I reduce heat to a simmer. Then
> in a few minutes I turn off the heat entirely to let them coast.

Thanks for the suggestion.

--
Joyce ^..^

To email me, remove the XXX from my user name.

Betty, wrote:

> Older eggs make for better hard boiled eggs, and should be left out
> for room temp. plus monce the water boils, turn the heat off and time
> eggs for 15 minutes in closed pot. Perfecgt hard boiled egss every
> time.

Thanks, I've never tried that.

--
Joyce ^..^

To email me, remove the XXX from my user name.

Goomba wrote:

> Mr. Bill wrote:
>> On 02 Jul 2009 07:26:58 GMT, wrote:
>>
>>> looked in the pot and
>>> saw one of the eggs losing its contents into the water.
>>
>> put a teaspoon of vinegar in the water. The acid will coagulate the
>> whites.

> she's not asking how to coagulate the egg white, she's asking how to
> cook the eggs in the shell so that they don't break when making hard
> boiled eggs.

Actually, I was asking whether a rather explosive crack might be an
indication of spoilage. I make hard-boiled eggs all the time, and usually
one or two of them crack. But it's generally a quiet, non-violent affair,
and not much of the egg is lost in those cases. In this case, not only
did it crack very loudly, but it blew an actual hole in the shell, about
1 inch long and maybe 1/3 wide. (Exploding eggs, maybe I should tell Dave
Barry about it.)

When food (particularly an animal product) goes bad, the bacteria produce
gas which can cause pressure on the inside of the food's container -
in this case, an egg shell. This was really my main concern - as I said,
I'm paranoid about food poisoning. I do appreciate the suggestions for
avoiding cracks altogether, though, and will try them.

--
Joyce ^..^

To email me, remove the XXX from my user name.

wrote:
> I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but please
> bear with me.
>
> I put a few eggs into boiling water to hard-boil them.

Whenever I've tried putting the eggs into the water when it's boiling
and they're cold, at least half of them crack. I always start boiled
eggs with cold water.

Serene

--
42 Magazine, celebrating life with meaning. Inaugural issue is here!
http://42magazine.com

"But here's a handy hint: if your fabulous theory for ending war and
all other human conflict will not survive an online argument with
humourless feminists who are not afraid to throw rape around as an
example, your theory needs work." -- Aqua, alt.polyamory

On 02 Jul 2009 07:26:58 GMT, wrote:

>I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but please
>bear with me.
>
>I put a few eggs into boiling water to hard-boil them. Within about
>30 seconds, I heard a very loud CRACK! noise, looked in the pot and
>saw one of the eggs losing its contents into the water. At the end
>of the boiling period, there was a moderate sized hole in the shell
>of that egg, and it was floating, so probably mostly empty.
>
>I've had eggs crack and lose some of their contents before, but never
>with so much force, making such a loud noise. Has anyone had this
>experience before? It makes me wonder whether something was wrong
>with the egg, eg, maybe it was spoiled, and pressure from gas inside
>the shell (from bacteria) caused it to crack really forcefully. Can't
>say I've ever heard of this happening, though.
>
>They were in the refrigerator prior to being put into the boiling
>water, but that's always the case when I boil eggs (which I do very
>regularly). Also, I usually put salt into the water before adding
>the eggs, which helps keep them from cracking, but I'd forgotten this
>time.
>
>I realize this post is a little weird and might end up fodder for
>jokes, but I'm actually a bit phobic about food poisoning, so I'd
>appreciate at least a *few* serious answers.
>
>Thanks.
>
>Joyce

With the internal expansion triggered by that plunge from the
refrigerator into boiling water, I'm surprised that all your eggs
don't crack.
Here's a method that will work flawlessly and has the added benefit of
making even hen-house-fresh eggs peel easily. Another plus, there's
never a black or greenish ring around the yolk either.

Steam them.
Put an inch or two of water in a pot.
Place eggs in a suitable container like a colander or veggie steamer
that will fit in the pot. Do not let the water touch the eggs.
Cover the pot.
Bring the water to a boil.
Continue boiling for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and time for another 10 minutes.
Fill the pot with cold water.
Take the eggs one by one and crack all over with the back of a spoon
then toss them back in the cold water.
Start peeling once all the eggs are cracked and the shells will slip
off easily.

Ross.

In article >,
Serene Vannoy > wrote:

> wrote:
> > I have an odd, and probably very elementary question, but please
> > bear with me.
> >
> > I put a few eggs into boiling water to hard-boil them.
>
> Whenever I've tried putting the eggs into the water when it's boiling
> and they're cold, at least half of them crack. I always start boiled
> eggs with cold water.
>
> Serene

Same here, but that's the way I was taught to do it when I was little.
:-) I currently have 2 dozen eggs "aging" at room temp. Been there 24
hours now.

I plan to make deviled eggs for the 4th. I just hope 2 days at room
temp is long enough to get them to peel smooth. I generally let them
age for 3 to 5 but did not plan far enough ahead this time.
--
Peace! Om

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
-- Anon.


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So, do they age faster at room temperature?
I followed the steps found he Hard boiled eggs, get them right every time | BestFoodForum.com and got pretty good results. That was the first time I was doing something different than my old "boil for 10 min" technique.

Thanks