The Secret To Making Perfectly Hard-Boiled Eggs Is Baking Soda

I'm embarrassed to say this, but every single time I go to make hard-boiled eggs, I have to look up how to do it.

The number of times I've googled "how to cook hard-boiled eggs" is absolutely shameful… and yet I still somehow get it wrong.

It seems like boiling eggs should be so easy — put some eggs in boiling water — but it's always more complicated than that.

I've tried everything, from dropping eggs directly into boiling water, to turning the water off as soon as the eggs go in, to transferring the boiled eggs to an ice bath. No matter what I do, though, my eggs always end up overcooked or undercooked.

It's ridiculously disappointing and frustrating to not be able to make a hard-boiled egg (that's "Cooking 101" right there). Thankfully, I think I've finally found a solution.

This hard-boiled-egg hack makes sure your eggs are not only cooked perfectly, but also easy to de-shell.

Want to give it a try? Follow the instructions below!

[H/T: Delish]

Thumbnail Source: Flickr / Wikimedia

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Flickr / yuksing

First of all, you have to start the eggs in boiling water.

Lots of hard-boiled-egg instructions tell you to start the eggs in cold water and boil the water with the eggs in there, but that doesn't always work.

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Wikimedia / Ischa1

Instead of placing the eggs in cold water, you have to take them straight from the fridge and place them into already-boiling water.

This does require some patience, but it will make your eggs perfect.

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Flickr / Aqua Mechanical

When the water reaches a boil, add a teaspoon of baking soda to it.

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Pixabay / happyrich358

Adding baking soda to the water might be a surprising step, but according to Delish, the baking soda will help loosen the egg whites from the shells.

This step is necessary if you want your eggs to peel easily.

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Pixabay / Three-shots

Once you add baking soda to the boiling water, take your eggs from the fridge and put them directly into the water (the eggs should still be cold).

After you've added the eggs to the water, let them boil for 12 minutes. Afterward, remove them from the water.

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Flickr / Amy Stephenson

After removing the eggs, let them cool before peeling.

Because of the baking soda you added to the water, the shells should come off the eggs very easily.

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Flickr / Ritesh Man Tamrakar

To make them even easier to peel, dunk the eggs in ice water after taking them out of the boiling water.

Do you know any other ways to cook perfect hard-boiled eggs? Let us know in the comments below!

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