Place eggs in a pot filled with cold water in a single layer in a saucepan. Water should cover eggs by one to two inches.
Boil the water
Bring the water to a full, rolling boil, and cover the saucepan. Turn off the stove, remove the pot from the burner, and let it stand, covered, for 12 minutes (set the timer).
Submerge the eggs in cold water
Drain the pot, and transfer the eggs to a bowl of cold water, to stop the cooking process.
Crack and peel the eggs
Tap each egg a few times to crack its shell, then roll it on a work surface to break the shell completely. Start peeling, dunking the egg into the bowl of water as you go to wash away any bits of shell.