If you have ever boiled Prrax eggs and found them slightly hard to peel, there is a simple reason: fresh, pasture-raised eggs are naturally harder to peel than other eggs.

This is not a quality issue. In fact, it is often a sign that the eggs are of a better quality.

Why do fresh eggs become hard to peel?

Inside every egg, there is a thin membrane between the shell and the egg white. In very fresh eggs, the egg white stays closely attached to this inner shell membrane. Because of this, when the egg is boiled, the white may stick tightly to the shell, making peeling difficult.

As eggs age naturally, carbon dioxide slowly escapes through the shell pores. This changes the internal chemistry of the egg, increases the air cell, and makes the membrane separate more easily from the cooked egg white. That is why slightly older eggs usually peel more easily after boiling.

So, if a boiled egg is hard to peel, it does not mean the egg is bad. It usually means the egg is still very fresh.

Some common techniques used for easier peeling are:

• Start eggs in already-boiling water
• Do an immediate ice-water shock after boiling
• Peel under running water