How to Know if Hard Boiled Eggs Are Done

Co-authored by Anne Lloyd

Making a perfectly cooked hard-boiled egg is harder than it sounds. To make a hard-boiled egg, you need to boil a raw egg for 10-15 minutes. After it's cooked you can check if it's done by cutting into it or by using an instant-read thermometer.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Cutting Into the Egg

1
Hard boil your eggs. To hard boil your egg, bring a large pot of water to a boil on your stovetop. Then, gently place the eggs in the water and let them boil for 8-14 minutes. You can also boil your eggs by placing them in a pot of cold water, bringing the water to a boil, then removing the pot from the heat and letting them sit in the water for 10-15 minutes.
- If you boil your eggs for 8 minutes you should have firm egg whites and a golden yolk.
- Boiling your eggs for 12 minutes will give you a fully hard-boiled yolk.
- Boiling your eggs for 14 minutes or longer will give you a chalky, crumbly yolk.^{[1]
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2
Test one egg out of the batch. If you are cooking more than one egg, there’s no reason you have to check them individually. Take one egg out of the boiling water and test it. If it’s done, it means the rest of your eggs should also be done.^{[2]
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3
Run the egg under cold water to cool it. Hard-boiled eggs will be hot to the touch immediately after you take them out of the water. Run them under your faucet for a minute to cool them down so that you can peel away the shell.^{[3]
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Peel off the shell. You can tap the egg on a flat surface and then peel away the shell with your fingers. You can also crack the surface of the shell with the back of a spoon then slide the spoon under the shell to remove it.^{[4]
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Cut the egg in half. Cut the egg directly in the center. You should see the yellow yolk surrounded by the white egg.^{[5]
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Examine the inside of the egg. When you cut into the egg, the yolk should be solid and yellow. If the yolk has a green ring around it, it means that it’s been slightly overcooked. If the insides are still runny, it means it’s not fully cooked. The egg whites should be firm but not rubbery.^{[6]
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- If the egg is slightly undercooked, boil the rest of the eggs for another 30-60 seconds.
- If the egg is overcooked, remove the rest of the eggs from the water to prevent them from cooking even more.
7
Transfer your eggs to an ice bath if they are done. If your eggs are done the way that you like, you can prevent them from overcooking by immediately transferring them to an ice bath. Put a couple of ice cubes in a bowl and fill it halfway with water. Then, use a slotted spoon to carefully move the eggs from the pot to the bowl.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using a Thermometer

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Lift the egg out of the water with a spoon or ladle. Lift one egg out of the batch if you're boiling multiple eggs. Carefully lift the egg and tip the spoon slightly to remove the water in it.^{[7]
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Use oven mitts to handle the egg. The egg will be hot right out of the water, but you don’t want to cool it down or you may get an inaccurate reading from the thermometer. Instead, use thick oven mitts to handle it.^{[8]
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Press an instant-read thermometer into the center of the egg. Push the sharp end of the thermometer into the shell and go down into the center of the egg. Leave it there for a couple of seconds until the thermometer gives you a reading.^{[9]
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- You can purchase an instant-read thermometer online or at a kitchen and department store.
4
Read the thermometer’s display. The yolk should be between 158–170 °F (70–77 °C). If the temperature is lower than this range, you should put the egg back into the water to cook it more. If it’s higher, it means you’ve overcooked your egg.^{[10]
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- An overcooked egg yolk can be dry and chalky but is still edible.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you tell if an egg is hard boiled without cracking it?

Anne Lloyd
Professional Chef
Chef Anne Lloyd is a Professional Chef and the Owner of Nolavore in New Orleans, Louisiana. Chef Anne has had a career in the restaurant and food service industries for over 30 years and has traveled and cooked on both coasts of the United States as well as in Europe and Southeast Asia. She specializes in utilizing local and regional foods to create dishes featuring international flavors. She also provides full-service catering, prepared foods, gourmet packaged goods, pantry items, and kids' cooking camps and classes for all ages. She received a BA in Anthropology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and her Associate of Arts, Culinary Arts degree from the California Culinary Academy. Anne is an alumna of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Summit.

Anne Lloyd

Professional Chef

Expert Answer

Well, I'll tell you my hard-boiled egg method that works perfectly every time! I put the eggs in cold water, turn on the heat and boil them for exactly 10 minutes. Here's the important part: immediately run them under cold water and then peel them.
Question

How do I know if hard-boiled eggs are ready?

Community Answer

If you're using an egg timer, you'll know it's ready if the black part is by the line that says hard. If you don't have an egg timer, you could spin it slowly, and if it spins quickly and easily then it is done.