Why Do the Whites stick to the Shell of the Hard Boiled Eggs?

[ChickensLove]

Hello Everyone!! I was wondering if anyone knows why the white part of the egg tends to stick to the shell when they are hard boiled? Doesn't seem to happen to store bought eggs, which I never like to buy anymore. Is there a secret to keep the whites from sticking? Thank you so much and be good to your chickens!!

 

[Notaneggspurt]

The fresher the egg the stronger the bonds are. I've had luck with putting them right in to water with ice cubes right after boiling for about 10 minutes.

 

[HenHouse4Life]

I use my older eggs for hard boiling. They boil for 10-13 minutes then hit an ice bath for 5 minutes.

 

[N F C]

Fresh laid eggs have a smaller air cell so the shell is "fuller". As the egg ages, the air cell gets larger.

I can hard boil fresh eggs by putting them in a sauce pan, fill with water (you want to cover the eggs with water), then bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit in the sauce pan (with a lid on) for 14-16 minutes. Take them out of the saucepan and put in a bowl of ice water. Once they cool completely, the shells come off very easily.

 

[Cjs123]

I've heard, but not tried yet, that adding a tsp. of baking soda to the water makes them easier to peel. I also heard the same thing about vinegar, and I have tried that with fair results. Fresh eggs seem to stick no matter what for me. They need to be a week to 10 days old.
The ice water trick seems to work the best. Never hurts to salt the water to prevent a cracked egg from spreading all over.

 

[Loopeend]

I only use the eggs, that when put in water, stand upright. (but still touch the bottom).

Someone told me that in fresher eggs you can make a tiny pinprick in the fat part of the eggshell, but not through the eggshell and that that helps. But I never tried it. Have enough old eggs that I cook once in a time for deviled eggs when they are getting spoiled but peeled easily.

 

[Grits&Eggs]

lol, I had that issue too when I first started eating my own bird eggs. They are too fresh - the store bought ones could already be weeks old and will boil better, but taste is everything! My daughter found a link where you can put the egg with a little water in a tupperware bowl, seal the lid tight and shake, and viola' shell will drop off with ease. NOTE: do one at a time, tried multiple and ugh, just made a mess....

 

[Loopeend]

lol, I had that issue too when I first started eating my own bird eggs. They are too fresh - the store bought ones could already be weeks old and will boil better, but taste is everything! My daughter found a link where you can put the egg with a little water in a tupperware bowl, seal the lid tight and shake, and viola' shell will drop off with ease. NOTE: do one at a time, tried multiple and ugh, just made a mess....

Wouldn't it shake the eggyellow with the eggwhite? (sorry, maybe a stupid question...)

 

[Grits&Eggs]

Wouldn't it shake the eggyellow with the eggwhite?

I didn't believe her either - give it a try, the egg comes out whole but the shell is off, #winning!

 

[FlyWheel]

I saw a trick where a guy spun an egg in a woman's stocking and when he hard-boiled it was inside out (yolk on the outside, white in the center).