Now if you’re squinting and thinking this is going to crack the whole egg, don’t panic. You are not stabbing into it like you are checking the pressure in a tire. You want to simply break the shell so the trapped air can escape while cooking.
And naturally, here is how it works. While the air is trapped in the shell, it creates a unique “air pressure” situation while cooking, which is why the white is stuck to the shell as if it is super-glued. But, by allowing the air to escape, the egg white can “settle” like it normally would, and when it comes time to peel? It comes out of the shell as if it just dropped out. No swearing.
How to do it without breaking everything
Alright, so to get down to the nuts and bolts of it: take your egg, hold it gently but firmly, and press your pin or tack into the rounded end — the big end, not the pointy end. You will probably feel a tiny pop as you break through the shell and into the air pocket. That’s your sign that you did it correctly. Then you gently lower it into boiling water and cook like normal.
No fancy utensils or prep work, no overpriced or overly complex egg gadgets from the latest viral video circling about a late-night infomercial. Just a tack and your time.
And yes, you most certainly can use this method with a soft-boil, medium-boil, or hard-boiled egg. It’s really all about the shell coming off cleanly (forget how done you like your egg).
Why This Is So Brilliant (Especially If You Really Like Eggs)
There is something genuinely satisfying about peeling a hard-boiled egg in one or two smooth rolls. And if you’re the kind of person who meal preps or just keeps boiled eggs around for a breakfast or snack, it takes this hugely annoying part of the process and makes it about a thousand times less annoying. No tiny shell flakes. No cratered eggs. No giving up and eating it directly out of the shell like some sort of breakfast goblin.
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