Nay it is not so! In fact starting eggs in cold water is the worst in terms of peeling. Dropping in simmering water is better but steaming is best!
The Cold Water Method for Eggs
For years I had made hard-cooked eggs by putting them in a pan covered with cold water, bringing to the boil, then covering and letting sit off the heat for 20 minutes. The eggs cooked fine but they were sometimes very difficult to peel, particularly as I always use very fresh eggs from the farmers market. The problem was that the thin membrane just under the shell would sometimes stick to the egg white like glue.
I recently found out that the problem with this technique is the relatively slow heating of the egg, which encourages that membrane to stick to the white. For easier peeling, fast heating is needed! And starting in cold water is the exact opposite.
Steaming Eggs Works Well for Peeling
If rapid heating lessens the sticking, then putting the eggs directly into already boiling water would seem ideal, and peeling-wise it is. But boiling like that can cause cracking because the eggs bounce around, so better yet is to steam the eggs. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a saucepan. Put the eggs in a steamer basket and lower into the pan, then cover. Steam for 13 minutes then cool as peel as usual. I think you’ll appreciate the difference! And not having to boil a whole pan of water saves a bit of time and energy.
