Hard-boiled eggs, unyielding no more
Testing online techniques that supposedly help make the snack give up its shell
Tackling freshly boiled eggs can leave you with burnt fingers, messy egg whites and shell fragments.
In search of a better method, I tried four different shell-removal techniques I found online on various “life hack” sites. Test 1: Baking soda The test: I filled a small pot with water, then added 1 teaspoon of baking soda. The thinking here is that increased alkalinity in the water will cause the shell to detach from the egg white. When the water was boiling, I added the egg and cooked it for eight minutes. After that, I placed it in cold water for five minutes.
The result: It didn’t really work. Most of the shell peeled off in tiny pieces and the larger pieces of shell pulled off parts of the whites. Score: 3/10 Test 2: Lemon wedge The test: I filled a small pot with water and added the lemon wedge. Then, I brought the water to a boil and added the egg. I took the egg out after eight minutes and placed it in cold water for five minutes.
The result: Better than baking soda, but not great. About half the shell peeled off in small pieces, but the other half came off in one piece. Egg whites remained intact. Score: 5/10 Test 3: Crack and roll The test: I let the egg cook in boiling water for eight minutes, then took it out and put it in cold water for five minutes. Next, I put the egg on a cutting board and rolled it back and forth, cracking the shell.
The result: At first, the shell came off in small pieces, but then about 3/4 of it came off in one piece. Score: 7/10 Test 4: Shake it The test: Same as above, I let the egg boil for eight minutes then put it in cold water for five minutes.
Then I placed the egg in a small glass and filled it half way up with water. Next, I placed my hand over the top of the glass and shook it vigorously over a sink.
The result: The whole shell came off in once piece. Magic! Score: 10/10 Conclusion The shake method was most effective, but lazy me is most likely to stick with the roll method. Either way, no more burnt fingers or eggshell injuries.