For best results, store your eggs in the refrigerator for one week before boiling.
Fried, poached, baked, boiled or scrambled -- eggs are one of the most versatile of kitchen ingredients. In culinary mythology, the 100 pleats on a chef's hat are said to represent the numerous ways you can prepare eggs, according to "Bon Appetit." Hard boiling is just one of these preparation methods. When hard boiling eggs, choose eggs that have been stored in the refrigerator for at least a week as the additional storage time causes the egg to shrink slightly inside the shell, which makes peeling the eggs much easier.
Instructions
1. Place your eggs in the saucepan. All of the eggs should fit in single layer on the bottom of the saucepan with ample space around each egg. If the saucepan is too crowded, the eggs might bump into each other and crack. If all of your eggs don't fit comfortably in your saucepan, boil them in separate batches.
2. Add cold water to the saucepan until the eggs are covered by at least 1 inch of water.
3. Place the saucepan on the stove and turn the heat to high. Allow the water to come to a simmer.
4. Cover the saucepan and remove it from the burner, which keeps the water hot enough to cook the eggs, but not so hot that the yolks will turn green.
5. Let the eggs sit in the hot water for 18 to 20 minutes.
6. Remove the lid and run cold water over your eggs to stop the cooking process. Rapidly cooling the eggs also helps prevent the yolks from turning green.
7. Remove the eggs from the water. The eggs should be cool enough to handle with your hands. Refrigerate the eggs until ready for use.
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