First of all I want to mention that this method is not just for farm fresh eggs. Store bought or strait from the coop, your end result will be beautiful hard boiled eggs!
Have you ever tried to peel a farm fresh hard boiled egg? I have, and it’s not a pretty sight. Unlike older, store bought eggs, no matter how hard you try the shell will not let go of the egg, leaving you with a lumpy, broken mess!! With my new egg laying machines and tons of fresh eggs the only thing I could think to do was hide a dozen eggs in the back of my fridge and wait for them to get old (the older the egg the easier it is to peel). This works as long as you know two weeks in advance when you are going to want a hard boiled egg. I don’t know about you, but when I want egg salad, I want it now, not two weeks from now!!
That was not my only problem with hard boiling eggs, I usually over boiled them and ended up with a green ring around the yolk….for some reason greenish colored, lumpy, deviled eggs are not very appetizing. So I started researching and experimenting, and experimenting, and experimenting…….and this method left me with sun colored yolks and EASILY peel-able eggs!
Start by placing a pot of water on the stove to boil. Make sure it’s enough water to cover the eggs. While your waiting for the water to boil take a (clean) thumb tack and poke a small hole in the fat end of each egg.
Be careful, you want to make a hole but not push the tack all the way in. The goal here is to put a tiny hole in the shell where the air sack is and not poke through the membrane inside. When the water is at a hard boil, and you have a tiny hole in each egg, gently (VERY gently) place the eggs in the boiling water and set the timer for 15 minutes.
Keep them at a low boil for the entire time. If you pushed the tack in to far you will see streams of egg white floating in the water. It’s no big deal, that egg will just not be as pretty as the rest. After you do this a few times you will get the hang of it.
While they are boiling prepare a bowl of ice water in your sink. When the timer goes off immediately remove the pan and drain the boiling water. Then place the hot eggs into the ice water.
Wait about 15-20 minutes and take them out one at a time to peel.
These are eggs that were laid this morning….see how nicely they peeled.
This is an egg that I poked the tack in to far and some of the the egg white escaped. Not a good look for deviled eggs, but will still taste great in egg salad. 🙂
See how nice and pretty the yolk is!!
I’m so glad I can make deviled eggs whenever I want instead of having to plan ahead and hide them in the back of the fridge to get old. I hope this works as well for you as it has for me. The tack trick takes a little practice, but if all you have is fresh eggs to peel it’s definitely worth the effort.
I found this method at: Paths of Wrighteousness
Thank you so much for sharing this on Wildcrafting Wednesday! We are getting chickens this year so this info is very helpful to me especially!
Thanks for stopping by Jerica. Glad this was helpful. Chickens are so much fun, and you can’t beat those yummy eggs!
Add a tbl spoon of vinegar to the water and that stops the leaking white.
I tried this method and it worked PERFECTLY! Even worked better than using older eggs. It was super easy and did not pierce one membrane in two dozen eggs!
WOW!!!! Thank you so much for this tip. After years and years of mutilating my Hard Boiled Eggs…this worked perfectly!
You’re very welcome!!
This is great! When I share our freshly-laid eggs with other people, I feel I have to warn them that peeling will be a problem. Now I have a solution for myself and my neighbors.
I came home from our local farmer’s market today with my first “fresh” eggs. I boiled some up to make egg salad, and couldn’t understand why I was losing half of the eggs while peeling them! I found your site, learned something new about fresh vs. store bought eggs and decided to try again using your suggestion. It’s going to take a little practice, but the ones I successfully “poked” were SO easy to peel and look perfect. Thanks for being out there 🙂
Laurie, I’m so glad you came by! The “poking” part is a bit tricky at first! Enjoy those fresh eggs, and thanks for the nice comment. 🙂
I just used your method to boil some eggs for egg salad and they can out beautifully. Thanks so much for sharing!
So glad it worked for you! Thanks for letting me know Christina. 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this, I have always had so much trouble at pealing my girls fresh eggs. Now I will never have problems again thanks to you!
Your welcome! So glad you found this Maranda!
Grace, Thank you so much for the tip. It worked like magic!
You’re very welcome…it is like MAGIC!! Thanks for coming by Michelle and thanks for the nice comments.
Have you ever heard of putting vinegar in the boiling water then place fresh (that day) farm eggs in to boil and come out ‘easy peeling’..?
Hi Larry, I have heard of it but I’ve never tried it. I tried adding salt and baking soda but neither worked well at all. If you try it let me know how it works!
Grace
The vinegar in the water will keep the white from seeping out into the water if you poke a little too far! I’ve used this method for quite a while now, especially when making deviled eggs.
Thanks so much! I was shocked when our hens started laying and I stopped buying store bought eggs. I could not get a decent peeled egg! This worked wonderfully. Thanks again!
You’re very welcome! Thanks for coming back and letting me know. 🙂
Just tried this with 30 eggs I bought at store yesterday as I’m making deviled eggs for Church supper. It worked wonderfully. I only poked through on 2 which wasn’t bad for my first time. They peeled so easily. Thank you, thank you.
karen
Only 2?! That’s great, especially for your first try. Have fun at your church supper!!
I knew there was a way this could be done! I tried many different ways of boiling those great eggs but until I read your post,I like many others ended up scouping the eggs out of the shells(for egg salad). I tried that this morning with a dozen and a half fresh eggs to make my pickled eggs and beets(Thanksgiving is just around the corner) and every one came out perfect!(except 1 that my son broke the egg in half… accidently…He got to eat that one…) I really thank you over and over !!! I also called my mother about this and she had never heard of that and she is going to do that ,too.Thank you again and God bless you !!!
Pickled eggs and beets sound GREAT! Glad this worked so well for you, especially on the first try! Have a great Thanksgiving.
I just tried your egg method, and I am absolutely stunned at how easily my fresh hen eggs peeled. This also worked on my geese and duck eggs, which I’m sure you know are the most difficult to peel. I will have perfect deviled eggs for Thanksgiving now. Thank you so much for making my holidays a success!
Hi Jacqueline, So glad you found this before Thanksgiving. 🙂 Thanks for the nice comment!
I can not wait to try this!! I’ve been denying myself deviled eggs because my fresh eggs look like they’ve already been chewed! I’m tempted to go make a batch from today’s eggs just to try it!!
Will this work on soft boiled eggs too? I find it even harder to peel soft boiled eggs than hard no matter what the age.
Hi Scott, I haven’t tried this on soft boiled eggs, but I don’t know why it wouldn’t work? I think it’s definitely worth a try! Thanks for stopping by and I hope this works. Grace
When I was a kid, that’s all we had, were the freshly laid eggs, since Granny & Grampa had laying hens. I remember always doing my hard boiled eggs in this manner, but still struggled with peeling them, so this is a great tip!
As for soft-boiled eggs, Granny used to make them for me for breakfast when I stayed over & she would hit them in the center with a table knife & then scoop out the innards with a spoon. I don’t think we were all that fastidious about the way our soft boiled eggs looked, since they just tasted yummy!!!
Thanks Linea, Freshly laid eggs are the best. It sounds like your Granny had the easiest and fastest way to eat a soft boiled egg without messing with the peel! Thanks for the tip and have a Merry Christmas. 🙂
When you say not to poke to far does this mean to poke through the shell or is that to far?
Hi Laura, You want to poke through the shell but no farther. You don’t want to puncture membrane inside the shell. The goal is to poke into the air pocket at the fat end of the egg.
I take no credit for this method, but it’s changed my life, at least as far as eggs are concerned. I had given up after poking, salting, and icing down the eggs. I now pressure cook my eggs. I have a Fagor Duo with high and low pressure settings.
I put a steamer tray in my pan with 1/2-1 cup of water. I lay the eggs on top in a single layer. Lg eggs take 4 min @ low pressure (7-8lbs.), take them off the heat, let the pan stand for 4 min. before opening. Fresh or old eggs, they all come out so easy to peel and they are purfectly cooked. No fuss no muss. Soft boiled or medium cooked eggs take 2 or 3 min respectivly. With soft or med eggs use the quick release method to open the pan right away.
For extra large eggs I cook for 5 min and stand 4 min. I put a link to the Hip Pressure Cooking website where you can find more details on the method.
http://www.hippressurecooking.com/cracked-soft-medium-and-hard-boiled-eggs-in-the-pressure-cooker/
Thank you so very much – it worked like a charm, a real meal solution!
You’re so very welcome…Merry Christmas!
Thank you! I have struggled for the last three years to get my farm fresh eggs to hard boil CORRECTLY! This is the only method to work for me! They are beautiful and perfect! Thanks so much!
You’re welcome! Happy new year 🙂
I need 5 dozen deviled eggs in 2 days for a funeral reception and thought I would have to settle for ugly beat up eggs. I followed your directions and my husband and I just peeled the first batch and they’re perfect! I’ve never posted on a blog before…but I’ve never received such a great tip. Thank you.
You’re very welcome! Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Just tried this today and it worked perfectly! It made such a huge difference making beet pickled eggs. The last batch was so frustrating and just came out so ugly because half the whites were taken off with the shell 🙁 I love being able to collect fresh eggs and now I can make nice gifts with them! Thanks so much for posting 🙂
It didn’t work so well with the soft boiled eggs, though.
Hi Maggie, I keep hearing about pickles eggs I’m going to have to try them someday. Thanks for the comment and that’s good to know about the soft boiled eggs!
Thank you, Grace, for these amazing instructions. I prepared my fresh eggs – right out of the nest – following your instructions, and I could not be happier!! I had given up eating boiled eggs and they had been my favorite. My friends and family could not understand how I could not make deviled eggs with having lots of hens. My friends and family thank you, too!!
You’re very welcome Sharon! Thanks for taking the time to leave such a nice comment. 🙂
As new chicken owners, living on the edge of Galveston Bay, we are delighted with the entertainment and delicious eggs our four girls provide. This morning I googled “how peel/boil fresh eggs” and came across your suggestion. Worked like magic!! Thanks for sharing it with us 🙂
You’re welcome Cathy, thanks for stopping by! Glad you are enjoying your chickens, now that I have chickens I can’t imagine life without them. I would certainly HATE going to the grocery store to buy eggs. 🙂
Hello, QoftheRD
Thanks for the info about eggs. We have 200 chickens, I use a lot of eggs, and peeling them has been the bane of my kitchen life!!
Many blessing upon you in Christ!
Judy
200 chickens!! I could see myself with 200 chickens. 🙂 (don’t tell my husband I said that) Glad you stopped by Judy.
Oh My Lord It Worked Thank you Thank You !! 🙂 I am so Happy You are a doll TY
Haha! Isn’t it great!….thanks for the comment, you made me smile. 😀
I just tried this idea. I used a ice pick since I had no thumb tacks. Worked perfect. My hubby will be so happy, he loves taking hard boiled eggs to work for his breakfast. Thanks so much!
So glad you tried it! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
It really works!!! I cannot believe that I will be able to enjoy farm fresh hard boiled eggs again!!! Thank you
also…to easily peel them, roll the egg on the counter top to loosen the shell…they peel like butter…so so easy.
Yes! thanks, that’s exactly what I do too. 🙂
WOW … IT WORKED!!!! Thanks for sharing, this is WONDERFUL!!
No more embarrassing deviled eggs … yeehaw!
Your welcome 🙂 I hated embarrassing deviled eggs!!
You’re a genius!!! I was so frustrated today after trying to peel eggs that were at least 1 week old. I have a method that usually works but I was having a horrible time. I did some research and came across your post. I used a new small embroidery needle to poke the eggs. All of the eggs turned out wonderful and I have NEVER been able to peel an egg so easy! Thank you for sharing. No more waiting for eggs to get old! Lol
Thanks Lacy! Happy Easter!
Should eggs be at room temp? Does it matter if they have been in the fridge and are now cold; will the cold eggs break when placed in the boiling water?
Hi Deb, I use cold eggs all the time and don’t have a problem with them breaking. The only time they break is when they hit the bottom of the pan to hard. But that would be my fault. 🙂 Good luck!
Well today I experimented with both. A fresh egg from the nest and one cold one from the fridge. The cold one did not peel well and it went to my Dog. But the nest egg was just perfect. Neither egg broke in the boiling water but after soaking in ice water for probably a half hour, the cold egg had a mushy white but the yoke was done. And the shell stuck to the egg when trying to peel it.
Well 1 out of 2 isn’t to bad. 🙂 I have noticed that if I leave them in the ice water for more than about 15 minutes they are harder to peel. Thanks for your comments!
So excited to run across this fresh hard boiled egg trick! I was asked to bring my famous deviled eggs for the Memorial Day family BBQ and first thought was, oh no, how am I going to peel them? This worked 100%! I only poked thru 1 of my 15 eggs so feeling pretty proud of that. Every egg, even the poked one was perfect for deviled eggs. Not one shell stuck. I’m so excited and can’t wait to share this with all my fresh eggs customers. I have a large flock of 45 hens and 2 roosters. I see more deviled eggs and egg salad sandwiches in our future 🙂 Thank you, thank you and God Bless.
Hi Laura, So glad you had beautiful famous deviled eggs!! Can’t wait until my flock is that big. 😉 Thanks for the kind comment!
Great tips! Worked perfectly for my farm fresh eggs! ThAnks for sharing!
Doesn’t work.
I used to do the hole poke method on store-bought eggs which worked because those eggs were already “old” but nothing seems to work on my ORGANIC PASTURED eggs.
Sorry it didn’t work for you, it works on my organic pastured eggs every time?? I have heard that steaming the fresh eggs works really well. You might try that??
our chickens are ‘organic’ pasture only as well and this works great for us – perhaps you are not doing it correctly?
Thank you so much for this tip! It works perfectly. 🙂
Tried it this morning with 2 normal eggs , poked them with perfection …OMG ! I couldn’t believe how easily they peeled and they looked and tasted superb in my egg salad 🙂
Thanks Grace 🙂
Thank you so much for this tip! It worked perfectly!! I’ve always struggled with peeling hardboiled eggs until now.
WOW, …… just tried your method…… AND i must say it worked great!
Thanks for posting it
We use your method and it works great for store bought eggs. We have a device we found on Amazon that pokes a hole in the egg just the right depth. It’s so easy my husband boils and peels all of our eggs. – Margy
Hi Margy, I had NO idea they made a device like that!! I’m going to have to go check that out. 😉
I steam eggs for about 12-15 minutes. I do put them in cold water after but have read that it’s not always necessary…just let them cool. They peel perfectly. If you know you are making deviled eggs the next day and want the yolks centered in the whites you can turn them on their side in the carton in the fridge the day before. Haven’t tried this.
Wow, thanks for that tip. My eggs always turn out either not done or done to much.. Love your site…
Thank you!
Trying it right now. With 23 hens we get at least 17 eggs a day, so this is such a valuable trick!
Thank you!
wow – you are a lifesaver. I had really given up on hard boiling our fresh eggs. this worked perfectly – thank you so much!
I remember my German grandmother doing this. Strange that I had forgotten, but I was looking for a way to forego the broken up eggs, and found your site. My grandmother even had a little tool that was shaped like a dairy product with the sharp little pin on the other side. Thanks for the reminder!
What a wonderful tutorial. This will make my duck eggs SO much easier to peel. I also LOVE the way you showed where it was shared. I’ll have to try both. Copying is the greatest form of flattery. 🙂
Thanks Mary!
I HAVE ALWAYS USED A TBL SPOON OF WHITE VINEGAR TO THE WATER AS I START BOILING THE EGGS. AND WHEN DONE BOILING CRACK THEM UNDER COOL WATER AND LET STAND IN THE COLL WATER FOR ABOUT 2 MIN. AND IF YOU HAVE CRACKED THE EGG WELL TO START WITH THE EGG WILL ALMOST SHOOT OUT OF THE SHELL.
Perfect. Did it today! Thank you!
Wish I could show you how badly this method did NOT work. Just ruined a dozed eggs. Baking soda worked a lot better. I followed the directions to the letter. Sorry but this is a big miss.
Sorry Marrianne, it works every time for me. I have read on other blogs that steaming them works….might be worth a try?
I’ve tried the steaming method as well. It doesn’t work either, or Costco is selling peel resistant eggs. I have not tried baking them. I guess my only recourse is to let them sit in the fridge for two weeks. I truly wish this method worked. Also, I’m using extra large eggs. I wonder if that makes a difference.
Thank you for your prompt reply. I wish I had better news.
Hi. Just tried this for the first time. Heard about this method on the Joey and Rory show. Needed better directions and followed this to a T. Best boiled eggs ever! I collected my eggs this morning so they were very fresh. Thanks so much for posting this.
Just tried this and I only over poked one egg! I am sure someone else figured out this next trick, but i was having a hard time “gently dropping” the eggs in when inspiration struck and I put each egg in my old fashion ice cream scoop and gently set the eggs in the boiling water! got the ice bath going and I am so excited to see how easy they peel, as I am a novice chicken owner and really love egg salad but do not love losing half my egg to the shell!
Fail 🙁
THANK YOU! Paths of Wrighteousness has since become a private blog so I couldn’t access her tutorial anymore. 🙁 So glad I found this!