[Jamestown1630]

This week: Eggs (our ‘Oeuf Oeuvre’)

By the way: I posted a few weeks ago, about peeling hard-boiled eggs by placing them in a pint-sized, covered mason jar with an inch or so of water, and shaking them back and forth vigorously.

See this thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3293388/posts

This worked very well for me, after cooking the eggs in an electric cooker, and plunging them into ice water. I had far fewer damaged eggs than I usually do, when I just peeled them right out of the ice water.

Some people asked if it would work if the eggs were refrigerated for a while after boiling; so I tried that this week. I boiled some eggs - this time in the usual way, on top of the stove in a saucepan: place eggs in tap water, bring to rolling boil, remove from heat and wait 10 minutes. Then put in cold water to cool down.

I placed one of those eggs, unpeeled, in the fridge, and left it there for two days. Then, I tried peeling it by the mason jar method. It did NOT work this time. I wound up with so much white peeling away, that all I had left was a yolk with a very thin film of white on top of it.

So, I would say that if you are going to peel your eggs immediately, the method is useful - especially if you are making a lot of deviled eggs. If you’re making a bunch of these to keep in their shells in the fridge, it doesn’t work so well.

But, there are so many variables here that I think the whole issue needs further experimentation. I’ll let you know.

(If you would like to be on or off of this weekly cooking thread, please send a private message.)

-JT

[trisham]

Deviled eggs. Yum!

[Hardens Hollow]

Good to know. I usually make a bunch of hard boiled eggs at a time, and leave some in the frig for various uses through the week. So I won’t be trying that method on them!

[dainbramaged]

The fresher the egg, the harder they peel after being boiled. Let them sit in the fridge for a week, then bring to a boil in heavily salted water with a drop of vinegar, remove from heat and cover for 12-13 minutes. Then cool in ice water. Tried and true.

[outofsalt]

I love Scotch eggs but peeling is an art that I have struggled with. I wonder if the eggtastic peeler works as seen on TV?

Take hard boiled eggs and dip them in water then roll them in flour. Cover the eggs with sage sausage so they are completely covered in meat about 1/3 of an inch thick.

Dip the sausage covered eggs in beaten egg wash and roll in seasoned bread crumbs to coat fully. Some folks fry these but I bake at 325 till golden brown. Yum!

These are considered bar food in Britain but they are good for breakfast, lunch or dinner. If you feel whimsical and want an appetizer version use Quail eggs if you can get them without spending too much in your area.

[Aliska]

I learned not to cook hard boiled fresh from the store but wait at least 3 or 4 days. Then I set them out to room temp, put them in a pan of cold water with a little salt (not sure if that's needed) to cover and bring to a boil. As soon as the water boils, remove from heat (take off burner), COVER, and let cool to room temperature.

Then I crack them on the counter by the wastebasket and the peel usually slips right off. Once in awhile it doesn't and I hate that. Then I rinse under cold water to make sure I got the little pieces of peel.

If I have made extra to just eat, I put in the fridge and they keep for several days. I just learned the cooking tip from the internet. The yolks are never green from overcooking and/or not cooling fast enough.

The other way is to carefully swirl as they boil for 10 to 12 minutes with a wooden spoon to keep the yolk dead center to make beautiful deviled eggs without that skinny side.

I have a home made angel food cake in the oven, and if it turns out, I might be back. I accidentally thawed some whites I'd saved thinking it was cool whip and didn't want to waste them. I had exactly 1-1/2 cups of whites (from using lots of yolks for other things). Just checked at the 15-min mark, looks pretty good so far.

Yesterday I made some glorified rice or pink fluff my mom used to make in the 50's with slight changes I found on the web. It's so pink and pretty from maraschino cherry juice. My daughter loves it.

[Ellendra]

I read several times that to get perfect hard-boiled eggs, try baking them instead of boiling. This dries out the membrane under the shell and keeps it from sticking. Use a muffin tin to hold the eggs in place.

I’m told this even works on fresh-laid eggs.

[econjack]

I find that if I take the egg after boiling, cool for a few minutes in cold water, place it on a hard surface, push down firmly until the shell cracks and then roll it away from me, keeping a steady pressure, for exactly one revolution, they peel perfectly.

[Hoffer Rand]

Start with room temperature eggs before boiling. Put in very cold water immediately after boiling. That will alleviate your peeling issues, and you don’t have to go through all the machinations.

[Hoffer Rand]

If you’re making a bunch of these to keep in their shells in the fridge, it doesn’t work so well.

I've been boiling a couple dozen eggs at a time every couple weeks, because I take 2 boiled eggs to work every day. Start with room temperature eggs, boil. After boiling, immediately put in very cold water. These will stay in the fridge unpeeled for at least a couple weeks, then peel with no trouble. I take them unpeeled to work and peel them when I'm ready to eat them. I've been doing this for years.

[ken5050]

FRYING Question!!!

I'll occasionally pull out the deep fryer. I always use peanut oil, and given the price, I hate discarding it after only one use, though I might not fry again for several weeks. I'm considering straining it, then refrigerating..any thoughts?