Got Hard-Boiled Eggs? Make This Time-Tested Egg Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best way to mash eggs for egg salad? ›

Place the eggs in a mixing bowl and use a co*cktail muddler, potato masher, or even a large fork to break them up into uneven, irregular chunks. You can also use a potato masher, or press the hard boiled eggs through the wires on a cooling rack to chop them up.

Information. Hard cooked eggs can be stored in the refrigerator up to seven days, either left in their shells or peeled. Make sure eggs are refrigerated within two hours after cooking, and don't leave refrigerated cooked eggs out at room temperature for more than two hours.

“If the egg is discolored or has a greenish ring around the yolk, it's likely gone bad.” A bad hard-boiled egg may also have a sulfuric smell, adds Marcus. The bottom line on hard-boiled eggs: “If the egg is slimy, mushy or smells bad, toss it,” says Steele.

Put the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Once the water is at a rolling boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot with the lid. Allow the eggs to sit in the hot water for the following times according to the desired doneness: 3 minutes for SOFT boiled; 6 minutes for MEDIUM boiled; 12 minutes for HARD boiled.

Recipe developer and cookbook author Sheri Castle suggests that "for a salad with hearty texture that won't turn gummy or pasty, use your hands to crumble the eggs instead of chopping the whites and mashing the yolks with a fork." You will, of course, want to wait until the boiled eggs are cool enough to handle, but ...

To prevent this, make sure to shock the eggs in an ice water bath as soon as you're done boiling them. Then, let them chill fully before you cut into them. And if you've already overcooked the eggs and added the mayo, there's still hope for salvaging the salad.

Can you eat 2 week old hard-boiled eggs? The FDA recommends consuming hard-boiled eggs within a week, and two weeks is well past that deadline. Since spoiled hard-boiled eggs can make you sick, it's best to be safe and toss out any leftover hard-boiled eggs that have been in the fridge for more than one week.

Hard-boiled eggs can be kept for 1 week in your refrigerator. If the egg develops an unmistakable odor or slimy or chalky texture, discard it, as eating spoiled eggs can make you sick.

Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let the eggs cook, covered, for 9 to 12 minutes, depending on your desired done-ness (see photo). Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water and chill for 14 minutes. This makes the eggs easier to peel.

Once they are cooked, they'll last for about one week regardless of the storage method. If the eggs have already been peeled, keep them moist by covering them on bottom and top with a damp paper towel before placing them in the container.

Can you eat hard-boiled eggs after 10 days? ›

According to The American Egg Board, hard-boiled eggs, still in their shell or peeled, will remain tasty for about a week when properly stored (which means in a fridge that is no warmer than 40°F).

Bottom Line

After trying several methods to determine if an egg is cooked or not, there were a few that came out on top. Contrary to what you might have heard, hard-boiled eggs do not float—but they do act differently when you spin them or shine a flashlight through them.

For one to four eggs, bring the water to a rolling boil, cover the pot, and turn the heat down to its lowest setting for 12-14 minutes. For five to eight eggs, cook for 15 to 18 minutes. For nine to one dozen eggs, cook for 20 minutes. After cooking, transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water.

Overcooked eggs will result in a very hard yolk and sometimes a green ring around the yolk. They will also have a slightly unpleasant sulfur smell after sitting in the fridge. I recommend cooking them for no longer than 12 minutes and transferring them to a large bowl of ice water as soon as they are done cooking.

Crack your eggs into a mixing bowl, then use your trusty immersion blender to blend the crap out of them. Seriously, you don't want to beat them until they're foamy, but you definitely want them completely combined with a good bit of air in the mix.

Follow this tip: For a smooth, lump-free filling, use a fork or a potato masher to thoroughly break up the egg yolks before adding the other filling ingredients to the bowl.

However egg whites whip up to a greater volume when they've had a chance to warm up a bit, 20 to 30 minutes. Before beating egg whites, always begin by separating the eggs. Then let the whites stand at room temperature while you prepare the baking pan, equipment and other ingredients.

Here's Paula's tried and true method:

Next, bring the water to a boil, and right when it starts to rumble, remove the pan from the heat, and cover it with a tight-fitting lid. 3. Now time for that kitchen timer; set it for exactly 20 minutes.