by Billie Meyers

Created on: June 01, 2008   Last Updated: June 06, 2008

How to Boil and Serve Hard-Boiled Eggs

Hard-boiled eggs are great in salads, on sandwiches, or plain, sprinkled with a little salt. Eggs are a great source of high-quality protein and amino acids and can be enjoyed in moderation by most. Those who are cholesterol sensitive, however, may want to limit their consumption of egg yolks as they contain 213 mg of cholesterol (the whites are cholesterol free).

BOIL

For the perfect hard-boiled egg, always start with the freshest eggs possible. Inspect the eggs individually for cracks, and choose only those that are crack-free. Carefully place the required number of eggs in a saucepan large enough so that there is only a single layer of eggs in the pan. Cover the eggs with cold water, and salt the water.

Heat the water and eggs to boiling. Then turn the heat down so that the water continues to boil but not too vigorously. You don't want the eggs to crack. Set the timer for 10 minutes.

After ten minutes, pour the hot water from the pan, taking care not to pour the eggs into the sink. Fill the pan with cold water; repeat until the eggs are cool enough to handle.

PEEL

Turn the cold water on, and let it run while you peel the eggs. Crack the egg shells on the side of the sink basin, turning the egg so that the shell is cracked all around. Hold the egg under the cold water, and gently peel off the shell. It should slip off quite nicely. If the eggs weren't fresh, you might encounter some resistance.

SLICE

For use in chef salads or on sandwiches, slice the hard-boiled eggs in an egg slicer. Egg slicers are widely available and inexpensive. The most popular versions have a cradle for the egg and cutting wires on frame, hinged to the cradle base. To operate simply lift the slicing wires, place the egg in the cradle, and close. Lift the egg from the cradle and add to your salad or sandwich. They are great on BLTs. Be creative! Sliced eggs can be very decorative when arranged nicely.

CHOP

Add coarsely chopped boiled eggs to chicken salad, tuna salad, and potato salad. Stir the egg yolks into the mayonnaise or salad dressing to give your potato salad a yellow color.

HALVE

Halve the eggs for Deviled Eggs. Pay attention to where the yolk is before cutting. You'll want both halves to be as symmetrical as possible. Empty the yolks into a small mixing bowl, and place the whites onto an egg-serving platter (a regular platter works fine too). Stir salad dressing or mayonnaise (start with a little and add more as necessary), sweet pickle relish (optional), a dab of yellow mustard, a little vinegar (about 1 tsp.), and salt and pepper to taste (white pepper is best) into the yolks until smooth but not too runny. Salad dressing gives the eggs a zippier flavor than the mayo. The ingredients here can be varied based on personal taste.

Add the egg-yolk mixture to the "bowls" of the egg-white halves. Using a pastry tube can make filling the egg whites a lot neater, and it looks nice too! Use a tip with a large opening to avoid clogging (the mixture may have lumps). Sprinkle with paprika for a festive look. Enjoy!

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