Cooking For Engineers

[ABlindHog]

Last week while I was reading a website that I often read for its chicken genetics discussions (The Classroom at The Coop) I came across an article which insisted that steaming instead of boiling made hard boiled eggs much easier to peel. I needed to make some hard boiled eggs that evening and decided to give it a try. In my experience the freshest eggs are the hardest to peel, and all I had were some very fresh extra large eggs. My steamer is actually two pans that fit one atop the other. You put water to boil in the bottom pan, and the top pan has a perforated bottom to allow the steam to rise through whatever you are steaming, the heat is held in and the excess steam is allowed to escape through a vented lid. I guessed at the time it would take to cook the eggs using this method and steamed them for twenty minutes, they came out slightly overdone. At the end of the twenty minutes I removed the lid and carried the steamer pan to the sink and ran cold water over the eggs to stop the cooking. I cracked an egg and began to roll it between my palms to break up the shell as I usually do when the egg popped out of its shell and up into the air above my hands. No shell or membrane was left on the egg, it came out perfectly clean. I caught it and rinsed it off anyway then quickly and easily peeled the remaining eggs, each came out just as cleanly though I kept them carefully in hand. Steaming the eggs seemed to cause the membrane between the egg and shell to stick to the shell and separate from the egg. I will have to do a little experimenting to get the steaming time right but I have certainly boiled my last egg. I would like to hear your results if you try this as well as any ideas as to why it works

[Dilbert]

"how to neatly peel an egg" is a perennial topic - complete with several zillion theories and experiences. it seems one is best off finding one that works for you and sticking with it....

I'm a boil then chill shock in ice water - not 'cold' water - ice water with ice cubes floating around. like for decades. works for me.

I read one theory about the chill shock method that certainly makes sense - the eggs are hot following the boil, they are outgassing / steaming off, whatever - the ice water bath condenses those water vapors which results in a thin film of water under the membrane - making for an easy peel. the theory fits my experience, so who knows..... I wonder if the steaming similarly 'saturates' the shell resulting in a water film? actually I suppose "in reverse" - ie hot steam outside, cold egg inside

it is noted even by the egg "industry" web sites that fresh eggs are harder to peel - but frankly unless you're keeping chickens or buying directly from a small producer, methinks all the store eggs have aged beyond that point. time to time I buy "fresh brown eggs" from a very nice lady who often has to visit the coop & gather a dozen when I stop in (usually late in the day) - those are fresh and indeed I have noticed they do not peel as easily / cleanly and eggs from the supermarket.

[ChronicPain]

Next time I boil eggs, I'll try ABlindHog's way. It would be very helpful since I usually peel tiny quail eggs for my chopsuey recipe. I spend more time peeling these eggs than preparing the other ingredients.

I'll let you know how it goes.

This site has been recommended to me and I look forward to getting more cooking tips.

[Edited to remove irrelevant links]

[ABlindHog]

Dilbert

I do keep a few chickens, these eggs however were a gift from a fellow chicken fancier.

I will try adding your ice water shock treatment to the steaming method I am using and let you know how it goes.

[Guest]

ChronicPain

My wife told a coworker whose family keeps quail about my experience with steaming eggs, and she is anxious to try it too. They peel about 200 quail eggs at a time by dissolving the shells in vinegar, but are not entirely satisfied with the results.

[nicolaegeorge]

Rumor has it that the fresher the egg, the easier it will be to peel, but I've never bothered to test it out.

This is, indeed, the case. My parents raised chickens growing up, and I was always able to peel those fresh brown eggs with ease. But the standard white eggs from the store never, ever peel easily. It also may have something to do with how long the eggs are boiled, if over-boiled the shells stick more, but I am not sure about that.

You can try holding the egg under running water as you peel it, it may make the egg peeling go more smoothly.

[amydonald]

I usually boil eggs the old fashion way. Place the eggs on water and let it boil over low heat.

"Steaming" eggs sounds pretty easy too. I'll give it a try

[efficient33]

I will put 1 tablespoon of salt when boiling eggs, it help to peel the eggshell.

[GaryProtein]

[cesarcain]

I experimented with steaming and I will never go back to boiling eggs.

[IronRinger]

After reading many glowing testimonials about steaming eggs, I gotta say that it didn't work for me. Am I the eggception that proves the rule? Anyway, I'm back to the chill/shock method.

[lintonschoice]

I know exactly what you mean, don't you just hate when the egg white tears and the shells want to come off in little flakes. When you have a dozen or more to peel and they are like that what an ordeal. This technique seems to work with fair success.

I use the oldest eggs you can, 7-10 days if possible, submerge eggs completely in a pot of cold salted water. Bring water to a boil, turn the heat down to medium low and set timer for 10 minutes (or adjust according to preferences, this step is not as critical). Remove from heat and drain hot water. Toss the eggs back and forth in the pot to crack the shells fairly well fill the pot with cold water and let sit until eggs are cooled down peel eggs submerged in the cool water

[Diane B.]

(I've also heard that older eggs --with their larger air bubbles in the top end-- are easiest to peel.)

Wanted to add though that steaming eggs creates whites that are much less rubbery and firm than boiling (that may be what cesarcain meant?). They're quite "tender," in fact.

I've eaten lots more "hard-boiled" eggs since discovering that... never been a fan of tasteless/rubbery eggwhites.
Chopping just one steamed egg (I cheat with two cutting orientations in an egg slicer) and mixing in some mayo and a bit of salt makes a really delicious and quick egg salad sandwich on toast.

my technique:
...poke a hole in the egg or eggs, lay in a shallow bowl, then put in a bamboo steamer over boiling water (lid on)
Works with any kind of kludgy steaming set up though.
.

[arakus]

oh!! i would really want to try it at home!!

[Thoden]

I have never heard about steaming eggs, I do a lot of boiled eggs from to time and has always had problems with the peeping. I will definitely be trying the steaming next time around.

Thanks a heap