How to Boil an Egg

It might sound crazy, especially to my Southern relatives, but I get asked this question periodically. 

I hosted our cooking club one December.  I made all of our Southern side dishes that are typical at my family's or David's family's get togethers at Thanksgiving or Christmas.  A few recipes included boiled eggs.  I had boiled them ahead of time and several people from our group were disappointed.  They wanted to see the trick for how I boil eggs so successfully.

I laughed because I thought they were joking.  They were not.

I make deviled eggs for holiday get-togethers as well (like this past Easter).  I've been asked a lot how I get the eggs to come out of the shell looking so perfect.

I took egg salad to a neighborhood get-together and a neighbor marveled that I would go to that much trouble to boil the eggs when hers never turn out.

On Saturday before Easter a facebook friend said it was her annual time to visit Youtube.com to remind herself how to successfully boil her eggs.

My boys love it when I have a bowl full in the fridge that aren't earmarked for a recipe later that day. They eat them for a snack.

I'm always stunned because those who ask for my "secrets" are fantastic cooks themselves. 

Doesn't everyone boil eggs regularly? 

I've shared my egg-boiling "secrets" and have had friends call up to say theirs didn't turn out as well as mine.  I have no idea what the secret is - but here's what I do every.single.time I boil eggs.

Place eggs in a large pot. 

Cover the eggs with water out of the tap.

Turn heat to high.

When water is seriously boiling, let it go about 3 minutes.

Move the lid so some steam can escape (like above).

Turn the heat off.

Forget about the eggs for quite awhile (20 minutes or more?)

Pour out the hot water and rinse with cold.

Peel once the eggs are cool or put them in the fridge and peel them later.

That's it - my no fail egg boiling recipe.

I think the "forget for 20 minutes" is the key. 

That's also my secret for keeping houseplants alive.

I forget about them for a week and then remind myself to water them.

Never fails.