How To Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs For Easter

Easter is this Sunday and that means it's also time to brush up on those tips for making the perfect hard-boiled eggs. Whether you'll be dyeing the eggs to use as decorations for your Easter egg hunt or preparing deviled eggs for Easter brunch, you'll need those eggs to harden up to just the right consistency. And you want to avoid that green ring that comes with overcooked eggs.

If you want your eggs to peel easily, the key is to buy them about a week in advance and just let them sit in your refrigerator. Refrigerating eggs gives them a "breather," giving them time to take in air, which helps separate the membranes from the shell, according to Incredible Egg.

However, if you didn't plan in advance and don't have old eggs lying around there's also the easy-peel hard-boiled eggs recipe from Incredible Egg. (Scroll down to find that recipe if you're worried about your eggs peeling)

Ashley Richardson, senior director of marketing communications at Incredible Egg, tells Patch that everyone in her office swears by the easy-peel recipe. So don't fret, Patch is here with recipes for traditional hard-boiled eggs as well as the easy-peel method if you don't have old eggs.

First, here's four methods rounded up by different cooking experts on the matter of making the perfect hard-boiled egg:

Richardson says the eggs should be placed in a saucepan large enough to hold the eggs in a single layer and then the eggs should be covered by about an inch of cold water. Turn on the heat and when the water starts to boil, remove the eggs from the burner and cover the pan.

Let the eggs stand in the hot water (12 minutes for large eggs, 9 minutes for medium eggs and 15 minutes for extra large eggs.)

Drain the eggs and then immediately run them under cool water or place them in an ice bath. Cooking eggs in hot (but not boiling water) and then immediately cooling them helps prevent the dreaded green ring.

• Read more on how to cook the perfect hard-boiled eggs via Incredible Egg.

Martha Stewart's method calls for placing the eggs in a large saucepan and covering the eggs with cool water by one inch.

"Slowly bring water to a boil over medium heat; when the water has reached a boil, cover and remove from heat," according to Martha Stewart. "Let sit 12 minutes."

The eggs should then be transferred to a colander and placed under cool running water to stop the cooking.

• Read more from Martha Stewart about making hard-boiled eggs.

Epicurious says to put the eggs in a 1-quart saucepan and then cover the eggs with cold water by half an inch.

"Bring water to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to moderately high and cook eggs at a gentle boil, uncovered, 10 minutes," Epicurious says. "Pour off hot water. If using eggs right away, shake pan gently so eggs bump into one another (to crack shells). Run cold water into pot to stop cooking. Let eggs stand in cold water 15 minutes, adding more cold water or ice to keep water cold."

• Read more from Epicurious on their best tips and tricks to get the perfect egg.

The New York Times Cooking section says to place the eggs in a single layer in a heavy saucepan and then cover them with cold water by at least one inch. The Times says to add one tablespoon of salt before turning the heat to high.

"As soon as the water comes to a gentle boil, turn off the heat and cover the pan," the Times says. "For creamy yolks, remove the lid after 10 minutes and run cold water over eggs for 1 minute. Set aside to cool at room temperature. For firmer yolks, leave the eggs to cool in the cooking water, uncovered, for up to 2 hours."

• Read more from the Times on how to make a perfect hard-boiled egg.

And now here's the easy-peel hard-boiled eggs recipe from Incredible Egg:

For this recipe, you will need a steamer insert.

Heat about half an inch to one inch of water in a large saucepan to boiling over high heat. Place the steamer insert into pan over boiling water and then using tongs, place the eggs one by one into the steamer insert. Cook large eggs for about 12 minutes and extra large eggs for 13 minutes. Drain the eggs under cold running water.

• Read more about this method from Incredible Egg.

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