Chef’s Brilliant Tip for Easy-to-Peel Hard-Boiled Eggs

Tired of battling stubborn egg shells every time you make hard-boiled eggs? You’re definitely not alone. Though hard-boiled eggs are a go-to snack packed with protein, peeling them can quickly become a messy ordeal, with bits of shell sticking stubbornly to the egg white. But there’s good news—a simple trick from Jacques Pépin, the legendary French chef, author, and television personality, can make peeling eggs a breeze.

The usual peeling problem comes from the egg white sticking to the shell, which breaks off in frustrating fragments and leaves the egg looking ragged. Pépin’s genius solution involves one simple change: poking a tiny hole in the wider end of the egg before boiling it.

Why does this work? Inside every egg, there’s a small air pocket. When you pierce the shell, it allows this air to escape slowly as the egg cooks. If the air stays trapped, it creates pressure that forces the egg white to cling to the shell, making peeling a nightmare. Releasing the air helps the shell slip off much more easily once the egg is cooked.