Consider Your Slow Cooker For Your Next Batch Of Hard-Boiled Eggs

When most people are craving boiled eggs, whether that's hard or soft-boiled, they turn to a pot of water and their stovetop. However, you can actually make boiled eggs with a different kitchen appliance — your slow cooker.

When you make hard-boiled eggs, it usually only takes about 15 minutes to cook them. With a slow cooker, it takes between 2 and 3 hours. The plus side of the slow cooker, however, is that you don't have to stand over a pot and monitor your eggs. Instead, you can just dump them in the crockpot and let it work its magic.

On top of that, slow cookers are large enough that you can cook quite a few eggs at once. If you're prepping something like deviled eggs for a party, this can save you from having to cook multiple batches. And you don't run the risk of over or undercooking your eggs.

Making eggs this way is extremely straightforward. To start, simply place your eggs in the bottom of the slow cooker in a single layer and cover them with water. You don't need a ton of water here — it should just cover the tops of the eggs. If you use too much water, the eggs may float, which can lead to uneven cooking.

Once the eggs are covered, top the slow cooker with the lid and set it to cook on high. The amount of time you cook the eggs is going to depend on their size and how hard you want the yolk to be. For hard-boiled eggs, 2 hours should be about right for medium-sized ones or around 2 ½ hours for large eggs. If you're working with jumbo eggs, you may want to cook them for closer to 3 hours. For those who are after yolky soft-boiled eggs, on the other hand, try lowering the cook time by around half an hour.

You can also cook your eggs on low, although this is going to take more like 5 hours to cook. Still, this is an option if you want to set them to cook and forget about them.

When your slow cooker is finished boiling the eggs, carefully take the lid off the pot, avoiding burning yourself with the hot steam. Then, use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs and add them to a bowl of ice water. This will help cool them down.

From here, you're ready to eat and enjoy your eggs! Slow cooker eggs tend to be easy to peel, although you can always run them under some cold water if you still find the shells are sticking to them.

If you're not quite ready to eat your eggs, you can store these in the refrigerator. Slow cooker eggs should stay good for about a week as long as they're in an airtight container. Or, you can freeze them for up to five months to enjoy later down the line. Whether you eat them right away or tuck them away for another time, this slow cooker solution is a quick and hands-off way to make large batches of boiled eggs!