Place eggs in a single layer at the bottom of a saucepan. Cover with at least an inch or two of cold water. The more eggs that are crowding the pan the more water you should have over the eggs.
Heat the pot on high heat and bring the water to a full rolling boil. Adding a teaspoon of vinegar to the water may help keep egg whites from running out if an egg does crack while cooking. Also some people find adding 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the water helps prevent cracking, as well as making the eggs easier to peel.
Turn off the heat, keep the pan on the hot burner, cover, and let sit for 10-12 minutes. If you have the type of stove burner that doesn’t retain any heat when turned off, you might want to lower the temp to low, simmer for a minute, and then turn it off.
Drain the water from the pan and run cold water over the eggs to cool them quickly and stop them from cooking further. Or, if you are cooking a large batch of eggs, remove them with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice water. The boiled eggs should be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator and eaten within 5 days.
