You’ve prepared hard-boiled eggs for your salad, and then… surprise: a green circle surrounds the yolk. It’s common, but anything but appetizing. Yet, you followed your recipe to the letter, so why does this little inconvenience keep coming back? And above all, how can you avoid it without turning into a Michelin-starred chef? Here are all our secrets for impeccable hard-boiled eggs that taste as good as they look.
The culprit? An unexpected chemical reaction
That famous greenish circle isn’t a sign of a bad egg or undercooked eggs. It’s simply a reaction between the iron in the yolk and the sulfur in the white, caused by overcooking or overcooking. The result: a slight deposit of iron sulfide… harmless, but visually unappealing. Fortunately, a few adjustments are enough to make this phenomenon disappear.
The Foolproof Method for Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs
Start Cold
Place your eggs in a saucepan without crowding them. Cover them with cold water, with about 3 to 5 cm of water above the eggs.
Heat gently
Heat over medium heat. As soon as the water begins to boil sharply, immediately turn off the heat.
Let time do its work
Cover the pan and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 9 to 12 minutes, depending on their size. For a slightly soft yolk, 9 minutes is sufficient. For a firm yolk, allow up to 12 minutes.
Express Cooling
Meanwhile, prepare a bowl of iced water (or, failing that, very cold water). Plunge your eggs into it as soon as the resting time is over. This immediately stops the cooking process, prevents the green ring… and makes peeling easier!
Peel without stress
Once cooled (5 minutes is enough), peel your eggs under running cold water to easily remove the shell.
Bonus tips for perfect results
Use slightly less fresh eggs: an egg that is too fresh peels less easily. If it is 5 to 7 days old, it will be ideal for this preparation.
Add a pinch of salt or a dash of vinegar to the water: this reduces the risk of cracking if a shell splits during cooking.
Store them in their shells in the refrigerator for up to a week. Once peeled, consume them within 2 to 3 days.
What to do with your hard-boiled eggs?
They are perfect for enriching a mixed salad, filling a sandwich, or even for a quick appetizer (hello deviled eggs!). You can also grate them on avocado toast, chop them into a potato salad, or serve them cut in half with a dollop of homemade mayonnaise.
The secret? Just the right timing
. There’s no need to overcomplicate things: the key to avoiding the green ring is simply not to overcook your eggs… and to cool them quickly. It’s an easy habit to adopt, for consistently perfect hard-boiled eggs—as pretty as they are delicious.
