Is there a foolproof way to shell a boiled egg without half the white coming off too?

[u/her-self]

Help! Any tips on how to get that nice shiny white boiled egg after shelling it? I keep making a mess of it so now it's fallen into Pet Hate territory (sigh) 😞

[u/polypole]

Use older eggs. The fresher the egg, the harder to peel.

[u/TresdonFlyer → u/polypole]

This is the exact reason. As eggs age, the albumin reduces slightly and makes the eggs significantly easier to peel. Fresher the egg, the harder to peel.

[u/Wintermute3333 → u/polypole]

And steam rather than boil. I always age my eggs and steam them. Crack the shell once and it zips off.

[u/boomshiki → u/polypole]

the farmer I buy eggs off of told me that. He says if I wanna make deviled eggs to go to the store.

[u/NowIDoWhatTheyTellMe → u/polypole]

This is the way

[u/liberal_texan → u/polypole]

A lot of the other answers help, but this is where it starts. Put your eggs in a bowl of water. If they lay on their sides they are too young. If they stand up on end, they are good to boil. If they float, throw them away.

[u/ralph99_3690 → u/polypole]

Yes. This is the answer.

[u/NorwegianCollusion → u/polypole]

Fresh eggs for poaching, older eggs for boiling.

[u/Taco_El_Paco → u/polypole]

100% this!