How-To: Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

I've never claimed to be perfect at anything (especially when it comes to cooking), but I think I've cracked the secret on the best way to make hard boiled eggs. And by "cracked the secret", I mean found a website containing a process that I've worked to perfection. A perfect hard boiled egg is one with yellow yolk (not nasty green) with tender white that peels easily. These can keep in the 'fridge for days, ready for snacking or a quick breakfast. The steps are broken down into thus:

1. Don't use eggs that are fresh (just brought from farm, or bought from store) -- make sure they've sat in your refrigerator for days (if not weeks). Needless to say, that doesn't mean wait until they are expired.
2. Put the eggs inside a pot or pan in a single layer configuration.
   
3. Pour cold water over the eggs, filling the pot/pan until the water level is approximately 1" above the eggs.
   
4. Put in a few dashes of salt and bring the pot to a boil.
   
5. The second it reaches the boiling point, remove the pot from the element and turn the heat down to low.
6. Return the pot to the element, and leave on for one minute.
7. Remove the pot from the element and cover it, letting it sit for 12 minutes.
8. Remove the eggs from the pot and rinse with cool water until eggs are cool to the touch. Stow eggs in refrigerator.
   

Source: How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs (for those that want to read background info.)

So that covers the cooking aspect. But anyone who's ever made hard boiled eggs knows: half the battle is de-shelling them. The key to this was using eggs that weren't fresh, as they are are allegedly impossible to de-shell cleanly no matter what technique is used. The way I've found best to do the deed is to:

1. Crack the top and bottom of the egg with a handy spoon or chopstick. A poke with a knife will work also -- the key is to rupture the egg shell and skin on both sides (and by skin I don't mean the egg white, I mean the small clear skin that sits between the shell and the white).
   
2. Roll the egg between your hands like you're trying to start a fire, gently applying pressure to crack the shell all around it.
   
3. Move the egg under some cool running water (it doesn't have to be at full blast!), and start peeling the egg at the fat end, with the fat end up -- there should be an air pocket there. With a little peeling, the shell should fall right off (as the water works under the egg skin).
4. Clean the egg off of any shell pieces left with the water.
5. Enjoy!

Hard boiled eggs provide a quick ready-to-eat snack that is relatively quick to make if you prepare 'em in batches (I did a batch of over four dozen this past weekend while watching a Mariner's game), are very healthy, and can be cut up and thrown into a salad. Follow the above steps and you'll get yellow-yolk fresh tasting compact foods -- absolutely perfect every time.