How to Easily Peel a Hard Boiled Egg

Hard boiled eggs are wonderful to eat, but a pain to peel. How many times have you torn away half the egg along with the shell, or tore it in half and watched the yolk fall on the floor for the cats to eat? Then cursed because the stupid cat played with it instead and you ended up stepping on it and had a gosh awful mess to clean up? But I digress.

I used to massacre eggs badly until my dad showed me a simple trick and it works, but of course I need you to read the thoughtful disclaimer first.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional chef, and although I've seen the pros use this trick on TV my daddy taught me first. With this 'Exactly how stupid are you?' look on his face too after seeing my latest egg massacre and muttering I need to stop watching so many slasher films because even Leatherface could do a better job. This tip works best on cooled eggs, by the way, but will work on hot ones as well. Oh, and eggs that are a week old or older are easiest to peel.

The intro picture is my own. If for some strange reason you feel compelled to copy it just give credit where credit is due and a link back. Thanks!

1. Taking the egg in one hand tap it firmly on the counter to break the shell. Not so hard you wedge broken eggshell into the egg, of course. Unless you like to eat eggshells but then you wouldn't be here, would you?
2. Roll the egg under your hand on the countertop. You will feel the shell start to crack and loosen. Remember were rolling an egg, be firm but gentle. Consider it practice for going all Rico Suave on people. Or Lady Gaga, I don't judge.
3. Peel egg. Shell should come of easily if you rolled long enough. If it is stuck roll it a little more. Try not to get that crazed look on your face cats get when they knead things. It scares people.

Best Time to Peel Eggs?

Give the egg a rough chop and put it on toast along with ham salad. Boom, dinner. Am I lazy, or what?

These take a lot more work, but promises to be dang tasty. Necessity, by the way, was the mother of this invention. Picture it. Easter 2014 was looming and I had the beets, the eggs and not enough vinegar. But I didn't know that as I sliced up an onion so....

You'll need:

Two clean jars with tight fitting lids

Enough white vinegar to fill one jar about halfway

Same amount of apple cider vinegar for the other jar

Two steaming mugs of Bengal Spice tea

Nine peeled eggs

One onion, chopped

Ground cloves

Pepper

1)Put as much chopped onion, ground nutmeg and black pepper in jars as desired.

2) Add peeled eggs, dividing between jars because were making two types.

3) Add beets, dividing between jars, and split beet juice into jars as well.

4) Add vinegar to bring liquid at least half way up each jar. White in one, apple cider in the other.

5) Top off jars with brewed Bengal Spice tea, adding tea bags as well.

You can add more vinegar if you like or anything else you desire. The jars you see were made just hours ago, but the eggs won't be ready for at least three or more days.

Because you can collect AND use them, that's why.