Often the shell of the hard-boiled egg is firmly stuck to the inside. Peeling becomes a frustrating task in which part of the white is lost.
The egg white is one of the most nutritious and versatile foods. One of the main ways to consume this animal product is to cook it in boiling water for 10 minutes, which is known as hard-boiled egg white. The problem arises when the shell sticks firmly to the white and breaks into small pieces that make it difficult to peel and break the whole inside. What does it mean? Why does it happen?
This common occurrence has a very simple scientific explanation that can help us understand why the egg’s shell sticks and avoid similar situations in the future. Read on to find out what it means when the shell sticks and how this culinary phenomenon can be prevented.
What does it mean when the shell of a hard-boiled egg sticks and becomes very difficult to peel?
One of the most common problems in the kitchen is what happens when we try to peel a hard-boiled egg white properly so that the yolk is smooth and shiny. Often, the opposite happens: the shell breaks into a thousand pieces and clings to the yolk, breaking it.
This is not only an aesthetic problem, but also a waste of part of the egg white, which ends up being thrown away. This happens because the egg is very fresh, if you read correctly. Miguel Lurueña, PhD in Food Science and Technology, explains that in fresh eggs the membrane that protects the white is much more tightly attached to it than in older eggs.
The expert adds that as the egg ages it loses water and carbon dioxide through the pores in the shell, which raises the pH and weakens the bond between the membrane and the white.
According to the Institute for Egg Studies, a body that researches and provides information about this food, it is advisable to wait a week after buying fresh eggs straight from the hen.
Simple trick: how to prevent the eggshell from sticking when cooking it in boiling water
It is possible to peel a hard-boiled egg easily with a simple kitchen trick. Often we don’t have time to see if the egg is new or old, nor the inclination to wait a week for them to age.
To remove the shell with this trick, you will need a freshly cooked hard-boiled egg and your hands. Simply rotate the egg on the countertop so that the shell cracks on its own without having to insert your fingers and break the white. You can also try placing the egg in cold water immediately after cooking.
