Decorating eggs has been a tradition people have gathered together to participate in for thousands of years; long before Christianity adopted the practice.

But despite repeating it every single year, many people still don’t know how to properly boil an egg! Cracked eggs, exploding eggs, hard boiled eggs with a green yolk ring and under cooked eggs are common mistakes made each year.

No worries though! Because this year you are going to boil a perfect batch! Now let’s get to work.

First things first, make sure your eggs are room temperature. Placing cold eggs into extremely hot water creates a temperature differential too extreme for the shell to handle which leads to cracking and bursting through as they cook.

Second, don’t add the eggs until the water has come to a rolling boil. Once it has place the egg on a large cooking spoon and gently gently place it into the pan. Dropping them in can cause damage to the egg.

Once they’re all in allow the water to return to a rolling boil then cook for two minutes. Afterwards cover your pot with a lid (one without a steam escape hole), shut off the heat and allow them to sit in the pan for fifteen minutes. This method prevents overcooking, which gives an egg that green yolk color and adds a slightly sulphuric taste.

After fifteen minutes remove from the stove and begin adding cold water until all the hot water has been displaced. You now have a perfectly hard boiled egg!

Once cool enough to handle, remove your eggs, allow to dry and then place back in the cartons until ready to color!