Hard-Cooked Eggs

A properly prepared hard-cooked egg is solid but tender, not rubbery; its shell intact and easy to peel; its yolk well centered and not discolored; its flavor delicate, not sulfurous. Good texture and flavor are obtained by taking care not to overcook the eggs, which overcoagulates their proteins and generates too much hydrogen sulfide. Any method that keeps the cooking temperature well below the boil will help avoid overcooking, as will plunging the cooked eggs into ice water. Gentle cooking also takes care of most shell and yolk problems—but not all.