Easy Peel Hard- and Soft-Boiled Eggs

The quickest, easiest, most foolproof method for perfectly boiled eggs every single time.

Prep: 5

Cook: 15

Cool 10

Total: 30

Yield:12 eggs

Fill saucepan with enough water that waterline sits approximately 1-inch above top of eggs.
Place saucepan on stovetop over high heat and bring water to boil. Once water begins to boil, stir in vinegar and salt. Bring water back to rolling boil.
Working quickly but carefully, use slotted spoon to gently lower 2 to 3 eggs into water, being careful not to crack eggs on bottom of saucepan. Continue until all eggs have been submerged, then start timer. See Notes below for time recommendations.
When timer is finished, quickly but carefully transfer boiled eggs from saucepan directly into large bowl filled with ice bath. Let eggs sit in ice bath at least 5 minutes.
Once eggs are chilled, drain water and remaining ice from bowl. Vigorously shake and toss eggs in bowl to crack shells. Continue until shells feel like mesh and have no large, intact pieces remaining.
Gently peel away and discard egg shells. If needed, hold eggs under running water while peeling, using force of water to remove any small pieces of shell.
Serve peeled boiled eggs immediately, or place eggs in airtight container and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Saucepan: Use a saucepan (or pot) that's large enough to hold all of the eggs in one even layer, without the eggs being stacked. Work in batches as needed if you don't have a large enough saucepan or if you need to boil a lot of eggs.
Storage: Boiled eggs (peeled or unpeeled) can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week.

4 minutes: Mostly set egg white & super liquid yolk. Egg whites will not hold together.
5 minutes: Almost entirely set egg whites & runny, nearly-liquid yolk.
6 minutes: Set egg whites. Creamy, gooey yolk. Great for ramen and similar dishes.
7 minutes: Firm egg whites with jammy yolks. Great for eating alone, topped with your preferred seasoning and a nice pinch of salt.
8 minutes: Half-set yolk with solid, creamy edges and soft, slightly-jammy center.
9 minutes: Mostly set yolk with very moist center.
10 minutes: Majority of yolk is almost fully set and light yellow. Center of yolk is darker yellow and still moist.
11 minutes: Almost all of yolk is fully set and light yellow. Very center of yolk is more moist than rest of yolk.
12 minutes: The ideal hard-boiled egg! Fully set, light yellow yolk that's super creamy.
13 minutes: Fully set yolk that's less creamy.
14 minutes: Fully set yolk that's starting to become dry and crumbly. I don't recommend boiling eggs more than 14 minutes.