Most people assume that the shell is sticking to the egg white. It’s actually the membrane between the shell and the white that’s really the problem.   When an egg is very fresh or when it’s cooked slowly, the proteins in the white bond to the membrane instead of to one another. The membrane becomes cemented to the white, which makes it impossible to peel away.

Solution to the sticky egg shell #1:  Use eggs that are 7-10 days old.

Solution to the sticky egg shell #2:  If using fresh eggs, plunge the eggs directly into hot water.  This causes the egg white proteins to shrink, reducing their ability to bond with the membrane.

Solution to the sticky egg shell #3:  Add 1 tablespoon vinegar to the boiling water when cooking the eggs.