# Aging Eggs for Hard Boil



## Haven (Aug 16, 2010)

How long do you age your eggs to make them easily peel-able?

I need to start marking my cartons with dates. Have had too many fresh eggs end up smooshed and ruined lately when trying to peel the un-peel able.

Anyone have a magic number of weeks you use to age?


----------



## Vickie44 (Jul 27, 2010)

I only wait one week. Does longer work better for you ?


----------



## shellmar (Apr 4, 2008)

I like to age mine for two, sometimes three weeks.

If I need hard boiled eggs and didn't plan ahead, I will add salt to the water when I make the eggs. That usually helps them to peel better. I read about that tip on HT.


----------



## praieri winds (Apr 16, 2010)

I have held my eggs as long as a month in fridge put some salt and a little white vinegar in the boiling water they are a little strong but good


----------



## tallpines (Apr 9, 2003)

I wait about as long as it takes to carry the egg from the chicken to the stove.....

"Steam" the eggs for 15 minutes.....do not boil (or coddle them) "in" the water ~~~ but rather, "steam them" in a basket above the simmering water.

Fresh laid eggs that are 'steamed' will peel easily.


----------



## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

tallpines said:


> I wait about as long as it takes to carry the egg from the chicken to the stove.....
> 
> "Steam" the eggs for 15 minutes.....do not boil (or coddle them) "in" the water ~~~ but rather, "steam them" in a basket above the simmering water.
> 
> Fresh laid eggs that are 'steamed' will peel easily.


Well I will have to try that! If I don't have "aged" eggs at least 2 weeks old, I have been adding salt and vinegar to the boiling water, then "shocking" them with cold water when they are done and peeling them as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Crack the shell on all sides and roll them around between my palms to help separate the membrane. All that helps but some of them still end up mangled.


----------



## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

And, sometimes no matter what you do, the peeled ones end up looking like they have acne scars! 

I have some to the conclusion that unless the stars in the right alignment, I will have issues with them!


----------



## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

I use fresh laid eggs. The trick is going from the hot water to a bowl of ice and water and cracking the big end first.


----------



## Haven (Aug 16, 2010)

Ardie/WI said:


> I have come to the conclusion that unless the stars in the right alignment, I will have issues with them!


Yes, I have tried simmering them on low, using salt, shocking them, using vinegar, chilling, copying youtube vids, and everything in between and they still stick horribly if fresh.

Just got mad and smooshed another 1/2 dozen last week - you would of thought someone squeezed sper glue into those shells. Talk about frustrating.


----------



## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

If you steam the fresh eggs and then cool in cold water immediately they peel great.


----------



## Kazahleenah (Nov 3, 2004)

how long does it take to steam them?


----------



## tallpines (Apr 9, 2003)

Kazahleenah said:


> how long does it take to steam them?


15 minutes


----------



## Karen (Apr 17, 2002)

Thank you for the steamed tip! Never heard that one and can't wait to try it.


----------



## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

Well, DH asked for some deviled egg, so I hard boiled some eggs.

I took them out so they'd come to room temp. Then, put them in cold water with vinegar in it. Brought it to a boil. Simmered for 14 minutes and drained. Pu them in cold water and changed that water then added ice cubes ans let them sit.
The exact things I always do. 

Today, they peeled like dream. Last week they were a nightmare.

I dunno..


----------



## gracie88 (May 29, 2007)

If I have clean, unwashed homegrown eggs, it takes about a month in the fridge to guarantee easy peeling. It's a little unsettling, but as long as they don't float, I guess it's ok. I've tried salt in the water, I've tried cold water, I've tried stomping my feet and yelling... Generally I give up and just scoop them out with a spoon. Probably going to try steaming them now, because if I make deviled eggs, I will be a hero to my kids.


----------



## Leo (Feb 7, 2006)

I don't age, fresh or not, just add some baking soda to the water, boil, peel.


----------



## Kazahleenah (Nov 3, 2004)

tallpines said:


> 15 minutes


Thanks! )


----------



## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

I boil them and add salt to the water, a handful of salt will prevent the white from coming out if any crack. Then I take to the sink,immediately pour out the boiling water and run cold water into the pot. Keep adding cold water until they are cool. I can immediately peel.I do this to all of our extra eggs for our dogs.Usually it's a couple of dozen at a time.


----------



## soulsurvivor (Jul 4, 2004)

7thswan said:


> I boil them and add salt to the water, a handful of salt will prevent the white from coming out if any crack. Then I take to the sink,immediately pour out the boiling water and run cold water into the pot. Keep adding cold water until they are cool. I can immediately peel.I do this to all of our extra eggs for our dogs.Usually it's a couple of dozen at a time.


Almost the same exact method here except I don't pour out the hot water and just run cold water into the pot until water is all cold and almost always it works, but I had some last week that were a real bear to peel. I've lost my fresh from farm egg supply and these store bought eggs are a different breed of animal I think.


----------



## Marcia in MT (May 11, 2002)

After reading about it last year on here, I started steaming my eggs. I only do 12 minutes and then drop them immediately into cold water.

This works better than boiling for me, but I still get some mangling of the eggs occasionally.


----------



## Silverstar7337 (Feb 10, 2012)

I boil my backyard eggs with about a tablespoon of oil, usually olive oil since I have it on hand. Steady boil for ten min. Turn off heat let them sit for about ten more, then rinse with cold water. They peel quite easily. It also helps if I let them sit in the fridge over night. Slides right off. Peeling under running water helps too


----------



## praieri winds (Apr 16, 2010)

soulsurvivor said:


> Almost the same exact method here except I don't pour out the hot water and just run cold water into the pot until water is all cold and almost always it works, but I had some last week that were a real bear to peel. I've lost my fresh from farm egg supply and these store bought eggs are a different breed of animal I think.


not to steal but have you ever thought of freezing extra eggs for later use


----------



## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

2-3 weeks for duck eggs. Boil the water first, then lower the eggs into boiling water.

When they are done, pour the hot water off immediately, run cold water over them to cool them down a bit, then cover in ice water.

Break the big end. Work the membrane loose and don't peel until you are working between the egg and the membrane. Peel under running water.

Eggs in the fridge are good for months. There is no issue with boiling 3 week old eggs.

My opinion: duck eggs need to be washed and then refrigerated because they will absorb odors from the mud on the shell at room temperature.


----------



## Farm Lady (Dec 16, 2008)

I do believe that I first read this on this site a while back and it works great. I use fresh eggs and have never had a problem. Follow exactly--Bring a kettle of water to a boil, remove eggs from frig and add one at a time to boiling water. I use a spoon for this. Bring water back to a boil, put on lid and boil for 13 minutes. Remove from heat, pour out hot water, add cold water ( I usually throw in a handful of ice also) and cool until able to hand safely. Peel and enjoy. May take a bit more time, but save on the frustration of peeling eggs.


----------



## alpacaspinner (Feb 5, 2012)

I tried steaming eggs for the first time yesterday. I had some older (7-10 days) eggs in the 'fridge, and I took one directly from the nest box as a "control". It worked like a charm. The older eggs all peeled easily and beautifully; the "control" egg also peeled easily, though a tiny bit of the egg came away with the peel. Not so much though that I wouldn't have used it for deviled eggs. I will definitely use this method in the future.


----------



## tallpines (Apr 9, 2003)

Farm Lady said:


> I do believe that I first read this on this site a while back and it works great. I use fresh eggs and have never had a problem. Follow exactly--Bring a kettle of water to a boil, remove eggs from frig and add one at a time to boiling water. I use a spoon for this. Bring water back to a boil, put on lid and boil for 13 minutes. Remove from heat, pour out hot water, add cold water ( I usually throw in a handful of ice also) and cool until able to hand safely. Peel and enjoy. May take a bit more time, but save on the frustration of peeling eggs.


This does NOT work for me.
Taking a COLD egg directly from the fridge and placing it directly into BOILING water causes most all the shells to immediately crack.

The still raw egg flows from the shell, into the water, where it cooks into peculiar and irregular shapes.

Perhaps the laws of physics work differently in your home.
Or, perhaps your shells are much, much stronger than those laid by our hens.


----------



## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

tallpines said:


> This does NOT work for me.
> Taking a COLD egg directly from the fridge and placing it directly into BOILING water causes most all the shells to immediately crack.
> 
> The still raw egg flows from the shell, into the water, where it cooks into peculiar and irregular shapes.
> ...


It doesn't work at my house either!


----------



## mrs whodunit (Feb 3, 2012)

We don't have old eggs so.....

Crack the air end of the egg with a butter knife,put in cold water with a healthy splash of vinegar, boil as usual. Once boiled, plunge eggs into ice water.

Most of the eggs will peel perfectly with this method.


----------

