The Container Hack That Makes It Easier To Peel Batches Of Hard-Boiled Eggs

Hard-boiling an egg is a task that sounds much easier than it actually is. There are rules to abide by as to when eggs should be added to the water, whether additional ingredients should make an appearance in the pot, and how long they should cook, but that's only half the battle. The other half is knowing how to remove the shell without mangling the egg in the process. Though patience is the best tool to get the job done successfully, if you have dozens to deal with, you might want to seek an alternative method — cue the container hack.

Rather than peel them one by one, grab a container and shake your way to perfectly peeled eggs. The process is so simple you'll wish you were told about it sooner. All you need to do is add hard-boiled eggs to a plastic container with a touch of cold water and cover with the lid. Then, firmly shake the container for a few seconds until the shells break and slip off (mostly intact) from the egg itself. Despite that it may seem like magic, the science behind this method is fairly straightforward. By agitating the container, eggs rustle against each other, allowing their shells to crack. Once cracked, the force of the water permeates around the shells and loosens the egg's membrane, resulting in an effortlessly peeled egg.

It's worth saving yourself the tedium and inefficiency of a hand peel, whether you're working with several dozen for a deviled egg tray or just a few. While this method is tailor-made for large batches, the container hack works even if you just need one or two — simply modify the size of the container and the amount of water you add.

Foolproof as this technique may seem, you can still damage the eggs with overzealous shaking. Until you get the hang of container peeling them, it might be best to use this method for recipes that further break down hard-boiled eggs, like those that will be used for an egg salad, layered into a casserole, or stuffed into a loaded hoagie. However, if you take the proper steps to boil a better egg — and employ a few other tricks like using older eggs and adding a splash of vinegar to the water — the container hack will produce a better result much quicker than regular peeling. Try it just once, and we can pretty much guarantee that you'll never go back!