A simple kitchen hack using baking powder could transform the way you peel boiled eggs, saving time and frustration. Content creator Kerry Whelpdale, known for her recipes featured in BBC Good Food, has shared a method that involves adding one teaspoon of baking powder to boiling water before cooking the eggs.
In a viral Instagram clip, Whelpdale demonstrates the process: she adds the baking powder to bubbling water, gently lowers the eggs in, and covers the pan with a lid. After cooking, she taps each egg against the pan rim and peels the shell away effortlessly using her fingertips, leaving a perfectly smooth egg with no shell fragments attached.
“Who else hates battling with boiled eggs that just won’t peel? Here’s the ultimate hack: add 1 tsp of baking powder (or bicarb of soda) to the water when boiling, and the shells practically slide off,” Whelpdale wrote in her caption. The post has garnered thousands of views and comments, with one user calling it a “game changer” and another saying, “Wow, need to try this, you clever clogs.”
The age of the eggs also plays a role. Eggs that are a few days old are easier to peel than fresh ones due to a less acidic pH, which reduces the egg white’s tendency to stick to the inner shell membrane. Other hacks include placing boiled eggs in ice water, a method championed by chef Christopher Kimball, who calls it the “holy grail” for perfect peeling. In a TikTok video, Kimball recommends a three-minute ice bath after boiling for eight minutes and 40 seconds, claiming it makes every egg easy to peel.
