Peeling free-range eggs?

[tortoise]

DH and I still haven't figured out how to peel free-range hard boiled eggs. Why are the shells so different? How do you peel them? (Or don't you?)

 

[Jo-Ann]

This is the only way I've found to boil eggs that are easy to peel. Place eggs in a pot with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil & boil for 5 minutes. Using a potato masher or wooden spoon, gently crack the egg shells under the boiling water. Boil for another 5 minutes. Place in ice-cold water until chilled. The shells should come off easily. Your timing may vary according to your altitude.

 

[sumi]

Welcome Bruce

I've tried nearly all the suggested methods and still destroyed eggs, so I started boiling them, once they were cooked, I removed them from the water, cracked them all over with a spoon, making sure to damage the membrane under the shell, before dropping them into cold water. After a few minutes I remove them from the water and peel the shells off easily. I only destroy about 10% of the eggs now

 

[Britesea]

A trick for peeling fresh eggs my MIL taught me that works but you don't always get a perfectly smooth egg: Crack the cool, hard-boiled egg lightly all over, then using a spoon carefully sandwiched between the egg and the shell so that the spoon is conforming to the shape of the egg, gradually loosen the shell from the egg.

 

[lcertuche]

Moon I thought you said you didn't have and cooking ninja skills. It sounds like you can boil (and peel) an egg!

 

[MoonShadows]

But it's a stretch for me!

 

[Bruce]

Use EE eggs

Weird I know but at Easter this year there were 14 boiled eggs, half from the 3 EEs the other half from the White Rocks and Black Australorps. They were all from the 2 Y/O hens, not the 5 Y/Os and naturally "dyed" by the hens. We play an "egg fight" game (wife's family tradition), two people hit either the pointy end or more round end of their egg against the same end of their opponent's egg. Keep going with other people until both ends of your egg have cracked, last one with a non cracked egg wins .... nothing. I tried to cheat since I know Penelope (EE) lays some really thick shelled eggs. She let me down, I lost on both ends (*), should have checked to see which hen's egg beat her.

In any case everyone who had an EE egg had a fairly easy time peeling, those with the brown eggs MUCH harder with some loss of white even while being very careful. The EE people were on to their second egg before the brown egg people started eating their first!

I didn't have any older eggs, none more than maybe 3 days. My boiling method is:

1. Eggs covered in cold tap water
2. Bring to a boil
3. Turn off
4. Leave eggs in the water until it has cooled sufficiently that I can take the eggs out with my hand.

(except this year I did it late at night and forgot to take them out until the morning)

I've NEVER had an over or undercooked egg this way, super easy, no timer necessary, no chalky blue/green yolk. I did try steaming them once as there are suggestions that makes them easier to peel. I THINK it worked but I don't remember the exact process and didn't feel like looking it up Saturday at 10:30 PM.


* That is what I get for trying to gain an advantage from insider information!

 

[NH Homesteader]

hi Bruce!

 

[Bruce]

Hi @NH Homesteader! I see several friends here from BYH

 

[Bruce]

Welcome Bruce

I've tried nearly all the suggested methods and still destroyed eggs, so I started boiling them, once they were cooked, I removed them from the water, cracked them all over with a spoon, making sure to damage the membrane under the shell, before dropping them into cold water. After a few minutes I remove them from the water and peel the shells off easily. I only destroy about 10% of the eggs now

That could certainly work for eggs you cook and use immediately.