Hard-Cooked Eggs

Make in any amount

There are many different methods for cooking eggs. The difference between hard-cooked and hard-boiled eggs is that hard-cooking uses water heated just to boiling and then the pot is removed from the heat. Hard-boiling uses boiling water for the entire cooking process. After trying several methods, this hard-cooked recipe works best for me and I have stuck to it for years. The eggs never overcook or get a gray ring around the yolk, seldom crack and usually peel easily. It is best to use eggs that are not too fresh for hard-cooking. However, use before the expiration date. If you plan to store some of the cooked eggs, let them cool completely, then place in an empty egg carton in your refrigerator for several days. I usually mark them with a non-toxic marker so I know the date and that they are hard-cooked, not raw. See the notes below for additional tips, as well as the similar and related recipes for ways to use cooked eggs.

Ingredients

• Large eggs (see notes below)
• Water

Place eggs in a saucepan large enough to cover with cool water by about 1-inch. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Cover and remove from burner. Let set for 15 minutes. Remove from stove, rinse in cold water and add some ice cubes to cool slightly. Remove eggs from the pan and cool before peeling or placing in refrigerator. To peel, crack the egg shell all over by gently rolling it on a counter. Starting at the wide end, remove the peel.

Notes: The cooking time of 15 minutes is for large eggs. Medium eggs will take about one minute less, extra large need an additional minute. This recipe is foolproof but, to some degree, depends on the cook. For example, my mother made eggs this way, but needed only 14 minutes cooking time. When I did that, the whites were undercooked. After observing her, I realized that it took her longer to drain the hot water and add cold water to the cooked eggs, during which time the eggs continued to cook. Another factor might be whether the eggs are cold or room temperature before cooking. I always use eggs straight out of the refrigerator. Some chefs cook their eggs for as few as 10 minutes using the same method and, supposedly, the eggs get done. I tried that several times bu, for me, the eggs are always undercooked.