On Mon, 16 Jan 2006, ***** charles wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> Why do some eggs after being hard boiled peel real eazy and
> some other eggs peel off in small little clumps. What is the
> correct proceedure for peeling eggs? If one uses the correct
> proceedure, does that gaurantee an easy peeling egg?
>
> thanks,
> charles.....
>

You're going to get dozens of answers - all of them different.
So, here's mine.

Eggs come in 4 parts: The yolk, the white, the sac that holds them both,
and the shell.

When you boil an egg, the white congeals around the yolk and they expand
inside the "sac" (membrane might be a better word). The sac expands (as
does the shell) and moves away from the white and toward the shell (this
is the air that is trapped inside).

Once the eggs are "done", if the hot water is poured off and cold water is
added to the pot (set the pot in the sink), there is a brief window of
time that the "sac" will adhere to the shell.

As the cold water is going into the pot, crack All the eggs (gently tap
them against the inside of the sink- both end and all sides) and drop back
into the cold water. Work quickly. Once all eggs are well cracked, begin
to peel before the sac-lined shell contracts and adheres to the white.

The eggs will slip right out of their shells.

If you have one that "sticks" it is probably because it had a crack or
puncture in the shell and the air was pushed out as it cooked and the
insides expanded, but the "sac" and the shell didn't as much as it would
have.

Eggs will also peel totally cold better than they will partially
cooled. A warm inside and a much cooler outside creates a kind of "vacuum
seal" adhereing the sac to the shell and both to the white.

Elaine, too