Have you ever noticed that in a cafe eggs are peeled in a second, but at home the shell seems to grow together with the white?
The answer lies not in the skill of the chef, but in a pinch of what you already have in your kitchen.
The secret to perfect eggs is not timing, but an ingredient
Fresh eggs are the main “pests” of smooth cleaning: their protein sticks tightly to the shell.
But if you add regular baking soda to boiling water (½ teaspoon per 3-4 eggs), the alkaline environment will weaken the bond between the shell and the protein.
The result is cleaning in one motion, even if the eggs are fresh from the chicken.
How to cook so that it doesn't crack or overcook
- Cold start: Place eggs in cold water - this way the temperature changes gradually and the shells won't crack.
- Soda + timing: after boiling, add soda, reduce heat to minimum. For soft-boiled yolk, keep for 5 minutes, for hard-boiled — 10-12.
- Ice Finish: Immediately place eggs in ice water for 3 to 4 minutes.
Why It Works in Everything, From Omelettes to Salads
Soda does not affect the taste, but it makes the white elastic and the yolk velvety.
You no longer have to cut eggs with a knife or crush them into lumps into a salad.
Even "older" eggs, which are usually harder to peel, will come off the shell as if by magic.
This method is not a culinary hack, but physics and chemistry in action.
Try it once, and your breakfasts, salads, and sandwiches will look like they were prepared by a professional. And the shells? They will be left in the past as unnecessary garbage.
