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I read somewhere that older eggs are easier than fresh eggs to peel when hard boiled.. This must be true because the fresh ones I boiled the other day were almost impossible.. Anyone know how long to "age" eggs to make them peel easier??

Yes, it is definitely true. A couple of days is long enough, generally. Also, you can use a spoon with about the same curvature as the egg to help peel it; just slide it between the shell and the white, and move it around the egg.

If you are not in a hurry for them, refrigerate them for several hours after boiling and them submerge in cold water while cracking them and it makes it somewhat easier.

This is what I do, and it has worked well. I add a teaspoon of baking soda to the water, bring it to a boil, add room temp eggs, cover and simmer on low heat for 18 minutes. I then take the pan and put in the sink and start running cold water in the pan. Once the water in the pan is very cold, I add ice cubes to the pan. I wait about 5 minutes for the egg to have cooled complety, and then I tap the fat end (air pocket) and peel from that end. Seems to work well. I have done this on same-day-laid eggs without issues.

hmmm interesting baking soda added.. then cool to ice temp.. ok it seems that the chilling must shrink the egg away from the shell a bit.. I will try some i just collected today.. Then some after a cpl of days.. see if there is a difference.. Thanks for the tips...

OK did some "research" yesterday.. Took 6 eggs born yesterday and boiled them 18min. (I didn't have any baking soda) cooled them with water, then put them in ice water. After 30min I peeled 2 eggs, didn't peel well, waited 30 more min. peeled 2 more, didn't peel well.. 30more min. peeled 1 egg, wasn't impressed... 30 more min peeled the last egg after 2hrs in very cold water & wasn't impressed again..

Ok now I am going to do some research on the age of the eggs & peeling ease. I will save 2 eggs per day for the next 10 days. I will put the date layed on them. When I have the 20 eggs I will boil all of them & peel them in order from fresh to 10 days old to see if/where they become easy to peel.. (I have 2 much time on my hands)

Why baking soda?

Try steaming the eggs.

Try rolling and cracking the eggs while under water. After they are cold. Saw some egg peeling champion do this on TV. Now I don't know how old the eggs were.

Have no idea why, but a splash of vinegar in the water, bring to a boil and then add fresh eggs. Allow to cool and they do peel o.k.

I'll put a couple dozen in the back of the fridge and leave them there for several weeks. Then they peel o.k.