How to Make Absolutely Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs Every Time

One recipe every home cook worth their salt should have is a foolproof method for hard-boiling egg. And while you might boil more during April, when you're likely getting ready to dye a few dozen for Easter, hard-boiled eggs are great all year long, in all kinds of ways.

No classic party is complete without deviled egg hors d'oeuvres, but you can also add half a jammy hard-boiled egg to spruce up a bowl of ramen or other soup, or you can eat one smeared with a little mayo, as the French do, for a simple-but-satisfying breakfast. And of course what would a picnic be without a gussied-up egg salad pasta?

Sure, it sounds simple—just submerge the eggs in boiling water for a while (how long again?) and you're good to go. That'll work, of course, but if you want to avoid chalky, overcooked green yolks, or egg shells that adhere, glue-like, to the whites, then there are a few things you can do to make your egg cooking infinitely better. Here are a few tips, plus an easy recipe below. And don't forget to read up on the best way to peel hard-boiled eggs, too!

Three Tips for Making Better Hard-Boiled Eggs

Use a lot of water. This ensures that the eggs won't significantly lower the temperature of the water when you put them in, which helps keep cooking times consistent—and seems to help keep the shells from sticking! And this way, you can drop them in straight from the fridge, without having to let them come to room temperature.

Bring the water to a full boil, then slowly drop the eggs in. This also helps keep cooking times consistent.

Don't immediately drop them into ice-water after cooking. You may have been taught this trick to stop the egg from cooking. Unfortunately, it will make the eggshell stick to the white more often than not. Instead, drain them, and run under cool (but not cold) water for a minute, then peel. Alternatively you can leave them unpeeled, let them come to room temperature, and put them in the fridge where they'll keep for about a week.