The Simple Trick Restaurants Use To Peel Many Hard-Boiled Eggs At Once (2024)

The Simple Trick Restaurants Use To Peel Many Hard-Boiled Eggs At Once (2)

The Simple Trick Restaurants Use To Peel Many Hard-Boiled Eggs At Once (3)

The Simple Trick Restaurants Use To Peel Many Hard-Boiled Eggs At Once

The Simple Trick Restaurants Use To Peel Many Hard-Boiled Eggs At Once (4)

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ByBobby Huen

The boiled egg is probably the easiest source of inexpensive protein in the kitchen, but if you've ever made larger batches of them, you know that the worst part is the peeling process. Not only is it time-consuming to peel one egg at a time, but your hands also have to contend with sharp, broken eggshells, which can be painful to handle.

However, there is a method popular among restaurant professionals for peeling large quantities of hard boiled eggs, especially if you have a plastic container that can hold multiple eggs and some tap water. By placing the eggs and water into the container and shaking it vigorously for a minute or two, the eggs will peel themselves. The action causes them to smash against each other, shattering their shells, which are then washed away by the water. Although this method requires some elbow grease, it saves both your fingers and your time by making the process quicker and less painful — a win-win.

Tips to peel a bunch of eggs quickly

The Simple Trick Restaurants Use To Peel Many Hard-Boiled Eggs At Once (5)

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There are a couple of tips to ensure your hard boiled eggs come out perfectly. First, you'll need a spacious plastic container with a lid. Although you might think glass is a better option, its hardness and the risk of it slipping out of your hands and breaking make it a risky choice. Instead, sturdy plastic ware, such as Tupperware, is a much better choice; it's lighter and less likely to shatter.

Second, it's important to cool the eggs down right after boiling. Since the residual heat inside the eggs will continue to cook them even after you've removed them from the boiling water, stopping the cooking process is crucial to ensuring your eggs stay tender and creamy. To do this, fill your Tupperware container with cold water, not hot, before you shake your eggs. This both keeps your eggs from overcooking and shocks the egg whites into firming up, which makes the peeling job easier overall.

Other time saving tips with eggs

The Simple Trick Restaurants Use To Peel Many Hard-Boiled Eggs At Once (6)

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Whether you're planning to use a batch of eggs for creamy, jammy egg salads, or to layer them on a slice of bread with avocado for delightful avocado toast, shaking the cooked eggs with water in a container is an easy way to remove the shells quickly. However, if you have plans to prepare eggs in different styles, there are also shortcuts that can help you get them ready in batches for large brunch gatherings. For example, if you're planning to make a dozen poached eggs for eggs Benedict with your friends, consider placing the eggs in a muffin tin with a bit of water before baking. This saves you time while you whip up the hollandaise sauce and toast the English muffins.

If your guests prefer sunny-side up eggs, you can also bake multiple eggs on an oiled sheet pan to easily produce batches of perfectly fried eggs. In fact, if you've used the oven to make crispy bacon beforehand, you can use the remaining bacon fat in the sheet pan to fry your eggs, imparting them with a smoky and savory flavor that's perfect for bacon and egg sandwiches.

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The Simple Trick Restaurants Use To Peel Many Hard-Boiled Eggs At Once (2024)

FAQs

The Simple Trick Restaurants Use To Peel Many Hard-Boiled Eggs At Once? ›

Vigorously shaking hard-boiled eggs with water in a container for a minute or two makes the eggs collide, shattering their shells, which are then washed away by the water. Ensure the container is spacious and has a lid.

How do commercial companies peel hard-boiled eggs? ›

Eggs peeling machine is a special peeling machine for shelling boiled chicken eggs automatically. It can shell eggs in high efficiency and with little breakage. It is the best choice for manufacturers to make boiled eggs, spiced eggs, other egg products, etc.

What is the hack for peeling boiled eggs? ›

Last up is the spoon technique, which F&W Culinary Director at Large Justin Chapple has also tried with successful results. You tap the egg on a hard surface, remove only a small portion of the shell on the bottom, and then use a spoon to slide off the rest.

How do restaurants peel boiled eggs? ›

By placing the eggs and water into the container and shaking it vigorously for a minute or two, the eggs will peel themselves. The action causes them to smash against each other, shattering their shells, which are then washed away by the water.

How much vinegar do you use to peel hard boiled eggs? ›

Therefore, adding one tablespoon or 15 ml of vinegar for every quart of water in the pot is recommended. So, vinegar for hard boiled eggs can save you time and effort when peeling and also help you get more out of your protein-rich snack!

What is the secret to peeling hard-boiled eggs serious eats? ›

To peel, first gently tap hard-boiled eggs all over to thoroughly crack the shell, then remove shell under a thin stream of running water. (The water helps get under the shell and lift it off the egg.)

How do you boil eggs so they are easy to peel? ›

Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let the eggs cook, covered, for 9 to 12 minutes, depending on your desired done-ness (see photo). Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water and chill for 14 minutes. This makes the eggs easier to peel.

Do I boil water first then add eggs? ›

You might have heard that you should drop your eggs into room temperature or cold water and then bring the water to a boil. This is a myth. In our tests, bringing the water to a boil first and then lowering the eggs into the bath made for easy peeling and more accurate timing.

Is there a device to peel hard-boiled eggs? ›

The Negg® is simply the best way to quickly and easily peel boiled eggs. The Negg® is BPA-Free.

What is the best way to peel hard-boiled eggs hot or cold? ›

Cool Eggs Quickly In An Ice Bath

Shocking your recently boiled eggs by submerging them into a bowl of ice water is key. The quick cooling of the hard-boiled eggs causes the egg whites to contract, freeing them from the membrane. If you let them cool for about 15 minutes, the peeling is much easier.

Does baking soda make eggs easier to peel? ›

Baking Soda

According to our friends at Delish, adding a teaspoon of baking soda to your boiling pot of water will help the shell peel off seamlessly. Why? The alkaline in the baking soda will help your egg whites loosen up from the shell, making it easier to peel.

Why can't I peel hard-boiled eggs? ›

Hard-cooked eggs may be difficult to peel if they are very fresh. This is because an egg shrinks inside during storage, which pulls the inner membrane away from the inside of the shell. For this reason, a hard-cooked egg will peel more easily if it has been stored for 1 or 2 weeks before it is cooked.

Is there a tool to peel hard-boiled eggs? ›

Egg Stripper offers the most effective, efficient, and mess-free means of shelling your hard boiled eggs, with no lingering bits of shell to ruin your recipes. Other egg peelers will cost you the same amount of money and shell just one egg at a time.

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