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Hard-Boiled Eggs with a Sprinkle of Salt - Simple, Satisfying, and Reliable

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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 17 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • Large eggs (as many as you plan to cook; 6–12 is a good batch size)
  • Salt (fine sea salt or kosher salt for finishing)
  • Optional: Black pepper, flaky salt, paprika, everything bagel seasoning, or a drizzle of olive oil
  • Ice (for an ice bath)

Method
 

  1. Start with room-temp eggs if possible. Take eggs out of the fridge 10–15 minutes ahead. This helps prevent cracks and promotes even cooking.
  2. Set up your pot. Place eggs in a single layer in a medium pot. Cover with cold water by about 1 inch.
  3. Bring to a gentle boil. Heat over medium-high until the water reaches a steady boil with small bubbles.
  4. Cover and turn off the heat. Once boiling, cover the pot and remove it from the burner. Set a timer based on your yolk preference: 7 minutes: Jammy center (great for ramen).
  5. 9 minutes: Tender but set yolk.
  6. 11–12 minutes: Fully cooked, classic hard-boiled.
  7. Prepare an ice bath. Fill a large bowl with cold water and lots of ice.
  8. Shock the eggs. When the timer ends, transfer eggs to the ice bath. Chill for 10–12 minutes to stop cooking and firm them up for easy peeling.
  9. Peel under running water. Gently crack the shell all over, then peel starting at the wider end where the air pocket is. A little running water helps loosen stubborn bits.
  10. Season simply. Slice or halve the eggs and finish with a generous pinch of salt. Add pepper or flaky salt if you like. Eat warm or chilled.