The best way to hard-boil eggs
Steam large refrigerated eggs for about 12 minutes, then transfer to ice water for 15 minutes. Peel under cool running water and check that both white and yolk are firm; size and altitude can require a longer cook.
On this page
Starting eggs over already-steaming water makes timing repeatable. Immediate chilling stops carryover cooking and helps separate the shell membrane.
Which method should you use?
Ingredients and equipment
6 large eggs
Ingredients
Equipment
- Pot and fitted steamer basket
- Lid
- Tongs or spoon
- Large bowl
- Timer
Arrange eggs in a single layer. Begin timing after covering and restoring steam; size and altitude affect cooking time.
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Egg safety
- Keep eggs refrigerated until cooking.
- Discard cracked or foul-smelling eggs.
- Refrigerate hard-cooked eggs within 2 hours and use within 1 week.
- A jammy yolk is undercooked. Use pasteurized eggs for that option; people at higher risk should choose fully firm eggs.
Twelve-minute steam method
Boil water
Add 1 inch of water to a pot, insert the basket, cover, and bring to a full boil.
Look for Steady steam escapes when the lid lifts.
Use caution around steam.
Load eggs
Place large refrigerated eggs in one layer and cover immediately.
Look for Eggs sit above the water, not submerged.
Steam
Maintain a steady boil for about 12 minutes as a starting time for large refrigerated eggs. Do not let the pot boil dry; larger eggs or altitude may need longer.
Look for Steam remains consistent without the pot boiling dry.
12:00 suggested timingChill
Move eggs directly into ice water for at least 15 minutes.
Look for Eggs are cold through the shell.
15:00 suggested timingPeel
Crack all over and peel under cool running water. Cut an egg to check that its white and yolk are firm before serving or storing the batch as fully hard-cooked.
Look for Firm white and firm yolk, with the shell and membrane removed.
A soft yolk is undercooked; a clock alone does not confirm full cooking.
Fix common problems
Leaving cooked eggs hot. Carryover heat toughens the white and can create a gray-green ring around the yolk.
Shell sticking? Peel under water and slip it beneath the membrane.
Yolk ring forming? Extend the ice-water chill and avoid a hot hold.
Common questions about this method
Are 12 minutes enough for every egg?
How long do hard-cooked eggs keep?
Refrigerate them within 2 hours and use within 1 week, whether peeled or still in the shell. That storage guidance applies to fully hard-cooked eggs, not an open-ended soft-yolk storage promise.
Other methods, in full
Open any method to read its preparation and steps side by side with your current choice.
Jammy centerAbout 25 min
Use pasteurized large shell eggs for this undercooked option. Steam about 7 minutes and chill immediately; people at higher risk should choose firm yolks.
Preparation
6 large pasteurized eggs
Ingredients
- 6 pasteurized large shell eggs
- Water for 1 inch in the pot
- Ice and cold water
Equipment
- Pot and steamer basket
- Lid
- Tongs
- Bowl
- Timer
A soft yolk is undercooked. Use pasteurized shell eggs; people at higher risk should choose the fully firm method.
Boil water
Prepare a covered pot with 1 inch of boiling water and a steamer basket.
Look for Strong, steady steam.
Avoid the steam plume.
Steam
Add six cold, pasteurized large shell eggs, cover, and steam for about 7 minutes.
Look for Boil stays steady.
7:00 suggested timingChill
Transfer immediately to ice water for 10 minutes.
Look for Cooking stops and shells feel cold.
10:00 suggested timingServe
Peel gently and serve immediately for a soft, jammy yolk.
Look for White is set; yolk is thick but not firm.
People at higher risk should choose fully cooked eggs.
Adapt to your setup
Sources behind the method
Evidence status: Source-reviewed method; no original Best Way test is claimed.
Sources open in a new tab. Verify important safety guidance with the linked authority and your product manufacturer.
Based on published sources
Source-reviewed method; no original Best Way test is claimed.
Updated 2026-09-05. Clarified how to check firm whites and yolks and when a soft-yolk option requires pasteurized eggs. Read our testing standards →
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