To Bake or Boil is the question of the day. I don’t know about you but we love to color Easter eggs and so every year around this time I boil a big ole pot of eggs for the occasion. Now, you can call me a crazy woman but boiling eggs is not my thing. I don’t really know what my problem is but I inevitably have cracked eggs, and eggs that won’t peel and all sorts of problems. I have tried a boat load of different methods… adding salt, vinegar, baking soda, boiling them for exactly six minutes, boiling them for only one minute, soaking them in ice water after boiling, and many more methods and I just haven’t found the fool-proof method that I’m looking for.
On MANY Pinterest boards I have seen people making hard boiled eggs by baking. This sounds simple enough…it can’t really go wrong, right? So I thought I’d do an apple to apple or egg to egg comparison to see if baking will be my new preferred method of egg preparation. Or if I will stick with the not so trusty boiling.
So, I started with two eggs. I boiled one and baked the other and here are my results.
First, the boiled egg.
I started by putting it in a pot of cold water, making sure it was covered by at least an inch of water.
I let the water heat to the point of boiling. It boiled for one minute when I covered the pot and removed it from the heat.
It sat in the covered pan for 17 minutes.
Then I placed it in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes.
When I took the egg out of the cold water it was in perfect shape, no cracks, blemishes, or issues.
Then I peeled the egg. The peeling process is never easy for me. I was hoping that the 15 minutes in cold water would help.
As you can see, the egg white still suffered harm. It was not a perfect peel.
But the egg was just as yummy as ever.
The instructions that I used for the boiling method are here.
Then I baked an egg in a muffin tin at 350 degrees (I’ve read that 325 is the recommended temperature but my oven’s temperature is off so I went with 350) for 30 minutes.
After it came out of the oven, it had a few brown spots on it.
Then I placed the egg in a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes to cool.
The brown spots on the shell faded while they were in the water, but were still visible.
When I peeled the shell from the egg, it came off flawlessly.
But, the egg white had two brown spots on it.
Now, it could have just been my imagination but this baked egg seemed to have a creamier, smooth taste to it. I enjoyed it very much.
The instructions that I used for this baking method are here.
So those are my findings. When I make eggs for deviled eggs I will probably still boil them on the stove. I don’t like the brown spots that baking leaves on the egg white. But, we are coloring eggs tonight and so I did go ahead and “hard boil” my eggs in the oven. I figured my chances of them coming out cracked were less in the oven.
I was right. Not one of my 25 eggs cracked in the baking process.
What a wonderful test to run, Carrie! I’ve had trouble with hard-boiling eggs, too. I love the step-by-step comparisons! I’ve never baked an egg, but I may have to try, although I’m with you on my deviled eggs – I wouldn’t want the spots either. Have a blessed Easter!
Hi Carrie, thank you so much for sharing this. I have it pinned already of course like half of the Pinterest community. I thank you for doing the test run and posting the results. I am going to use the bake method and see how I do. I have chickens and my eggs are always fresh so nearly impossible to boil and peel. I have run the gammit of cooking boiled eggs as you have. Visiting from Tuesday’s Treasures. Have a Happy Easter! Love, Wanda
Tip for eggs…buy them ahead of time. Fresh eggs do NOT peel nicely!
I had never heard of baking them, but definitely going to try it this week! Thank you for sharing your results!
Thanks for your testing! My tip is similar to Marie’s. Since I have fresh eggs from my chickens, the only way I can get them to peel is to set them out of the refrigerator 1 to 2 days ahead of boiling day. This ages them a bit. Then add a bunch of salt to the boiling water. I follow the rest of your boiling instructions, except the ice cold water isn’t needed.
The good news is, when an egg doesn’t peel right, you have very fresh eggs.
So, I reread what you posted. Did I misunderstand? Do you peel your eggs to color them?
I know I have been wanting to try coloring empty eggs. BUt the thought of trying to “Blow” the eggs clean as many state it, and using or wasting the product just doesn’t seem time worthy.
And I know people that will eat dyed eggs…and guess I am just spoiled. Cannot do it!
No, we don’t peel and then color. The peeling test was just to see which worked better for deviled eggs or eating later on. The baking worked well to keep any of my eggs from cracking so all our eggs for coloring were in tact when we got to the coloring process.
I’ve always boiled them but this year I think I’ll try the baking. Thanks! Stopping by from 733 blog.
Hi! Followed you over from Someday Crafts blog hop. I have never tried baking to get the hard boiled effect. I am definitely going to try that. Pinned and now following via GFC.
Jackie
http://www.thenonmarthamomma.com
Thanks for sharing your results. My husband had heard about baking eggs, so he asked me to search pinterest for instructions. I hadn’t yet, but I saw your post at a linky party. Yay! Since we are doing this so we can dye Easter eggs and then turn them into deviled eggs, we want them to peel easily. The brown spots aren’t as important as easy peel, so I’m going to give your instructions a try this weekend, and I’m pinning. I love the direct comparison because, like you, we’ve had successes and failures with the traditional boiling method and wondered if it was simply the carton of eggs.
It really does have more to do with how fresh the eggs are not how they are cooked. As a long time biology teacher I have to say “trust me, it’s science”.
I was glad to see that you came out with the exact same results I did! I have tried them both, but haven’t found one method that works perfectly for everything. I do agree that the baked ones taste creamier and fresher too. My kids can’t seem to get over the brown spots though. :0).
Thanks for linking up at our link party!!
Melissa
Redflycreations(dot)com
I baked 5 dozen eggs for an Easter egg hunt! I had the exact same experience. I thought that maybe the eggs had spots on them because my muffin pan was stained. But, since yours turned out the same way I guess that wasn’t the case. One of the biggest downfalls that I had with baking them was the smell. My house smelled like sulfur pretty bad. I would do it again though. It was very easy and fast!
Hi Carrie,
Great Post! Thank you so much for sharing your awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Great post! I was looking up earlier on how to make the perfect eggs. Im like you and HATE peeling eggd! I boiled my first batch for 22 minutes and the yolk were not even done. So I tossed those! Then I tried the boil for 1 minute and cover and remove from heat. It worked but my egg white still suffered a little. I wanted to try the baking part but my oven is busy getting ready for tomorrow! Great comparison! New follower, would love for you stop by and say hi!
WOW! This was great information to have. I hate peeling hard boiled eggs.
Great test run. I never heard of baking eggs. I wonder if you would turn the eggs half way through baking, they wouldn’t get the brown spots?
We may have met by chance…but we become friends by choice.
http://simpleesue.com/french-toast-grilled-cheese-sandwich-with-an-italian-twist/
I have never thought of baking an egg
to make hard boiled… very interesting
to say the least.. but then when you weigh
them both.. that’s 30 minutes of electricity
in the oven with a few brown spots.. I think
I’ll keep with the water in a pot on the
stove… but interesting experiment.
Happy April
Sandy
Stopping by from Titus 2 Tuesday. I just tried baking eggs (gotta love the Pinterest ideas!) and had the same spotty problem, but they did taste great, and it was so easy!
Jamie H
coffeewithus3.blogspot.com
So interesting! Thank you for taking the time to do and share this!
Found your post at BNOP. I had no idea you could bake eggs – and it's interesting that they tasted different than the boiled version. Hard Boiled eggs are a staple around here so I will have to try baking. Thanks for sharing! Holly
Stopping in from Homemaking Link-up. I've never tried baking the eggs before. I have used the crock pot, however. http://mrspriceisrighthomeschooling.blogspot.com/2012/04/hard-boiled-easter-eggs-in-crockpot.html
They get the brown spots as well, but also have the creamier texture you mentioned. I will definitely try the baking now, too!
Thanks for sharing it.
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To avoid the brown spots on the edible part of the egg (not the shell), I’ve found that using a mini muffin tin, rather than a standard one, works well. Since the egg balances across the opening, it eliminates the issue of the egg sitting directly on the heated surface, and so, no brown spot! I usually do 2 dozen at a time, and might have one come out with a spot on the egg. Hope that helps!!