Instant Pot Easy-Peel Hard Cooked Eggs

A couple of years ago I shared a technique for steaming hard-cooked eggs that allowed the shells to slip off almost effortlessly (you can read about it here).   If I were to rate that technique, I'd give it 9 out of 10 stars, but today I'm going to share an even better technique.  This one earns 10+ stars.  I've cooked about 6 dozen farm-fresh eggs using this new method and haven't had a single shell stick. I hope you’ll give it a try.

Whether you use the old steaming method, or this new and improved electric pressure cooker method, the only ingredients needed are eggs and water.  I'm using farm-fresh eggs, but older eggs from the grocery store will work too.  

Place about 1/2-inch of water in the inner pot of an instant pot or any brand of electric pressure cooker; add a rack (stainless or this silicone one with handles that I love).

The eggs should hover over the water so be sure the top surface of the rack sits above the water.

Place eggs on the rack.  I've spaced these apart for a pretty photo, but I usually squeeze as many eggs into a single layer as I can.  I find they don’t always cook through if you stack them on top of each other, but they’ll turn out perfectly as long as you keep them in a single layer.

Put the lid on the pressure cooker and lock it closed.  Also check to be sure the steam vent is closed.

Okay, set the pressure cooker for 5 minutes on the rice cycle.  The cooker will heat the water and come to pressure before the timer starts counting down so the total time in my cooker is actually about 10 minutes from start to finish.

When the timer alerts you that 5 minutes have passed, allow the pressure to release naturally for an additional 5 minutes. Manually release any remaining pressure - careful, there may bee some spitting and spurting.

Almost done....

Alrighty, as soon as all the pressure is released, you can open the lid and remove the eggs.

To help prevent the yolks from developing the ugly green layer, immediately submerge the hot eggs in a large bowl of ice water and allow the eggs to cool for 5 minutes before peeling.

To recap, that’s 5 minutes of cooking under high pressure, 5 minutes of resting, and 5 minutes in an ice bath - 5/5/5. Easy! For extra large eggs, I increase each step to 6 minutes.

As soon as the eggs are done resting in the ice bath, you can start peeling. 

Egg peeling perfection.  Perfection, perfection, perfection.... no sticking shells, no ugly peeled eggs, just perfectly peeled eggs every single time. I LOVE THIS TECHNIQUE!!!

And just look at those yolks, would you?  I can’t wait for you to try.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• instant pot https://amzn.to/30K6S9z

• silicone rack https://amzn.to/37gVcOi

• silicone tongs https://amzn.to/2TMta9A

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PERFECT EASY-PEEL EGGS

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• large eggs (farm fresh or from the grocery store)

• water

Directions

1. In the cookwell of an electric pressure cooker fitted with a rack, place 1/2-inch of water, being sure the top of the rack is not submerged under the water.

2. Place a single layer of eggs on top of the rack.

3. Seal the pressure cooker and set for 5 minutes on the high pressure (or rice) cycle.

4. Allow pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes before manually releasing any remaining pressure.

5. Immediately remove the eggs and place in a large bowl of ice water to cool for 5 minutes

6. When eggs are cool, the shells should come off the eggs with minimal effort.

Bacon and Mushroom Frittata Cups

Individual frittatas are great to keep in the fridge for a quick snack or breakfast on the go.  Feel free to switch up the vegetables, or use sausage instead of bacon.  Make a batch today.

Start by sauteing the bacon and mushrooms together.  Feel free to add a other vegetables too.  I dad a few spears of leftover asparagus in the fridge so I tossed them in.  You'll need about a cup of cooked bacon and vegetables in all. 

Drain the bacon mixture well.

I measured out a cup of the bacon mixture and gathered my eggs.  I started with 10, but didn't have quite enough to fill all the muffin cups so I ended up using 12 in the end.  My eggs were from a farm and were a little on the small side. 

Eggs are notoriously sticky, like cement, so I always spray my pans with Baker's Joy so I know they'll release without any trouble.  

My favorite tool for whisking eggs is a flat whisk.  I can't believe how much faster and better it works than a standard whisk.  Love it!  

See what I mean?  Beautiful.

Divide the bacon/mushroom mixture evenly among the muffin cups.

Transfer the beaten eggs to an "easy pour" container.  

Fill each muffin cup about 3/4 full.  Note how neat the beaker poured the beaten eggs.  

Bake for 15-20 minutes until done.  Don't be alarmed if the frittata cups puff up high or even look like they're going to pop out of the muffin pan.  They'll settle down shortly after removing from the oven.  

I like to sprinkle each with about 1 teaspoon of shredded cheddar cheese, a few sliced scallions, and a drizzle of Sriracha.  The cheese will melt on the  hot frittatas almost immediately. 

items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• professional muffin pan https://amzn.to/3B578CB

• flat whisk https://amzn.to/3IWWiRD

• baker’s joy https://amzn.to/3scMnjZ

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BACON AND MUSHROOM FRITTATA CUPS

makes 12 individual servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon, chopped

• 12 mushrooms, chopped

• 10-12 large eggs, beaten

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• optional: shredded cheddar cheese, sliced scallions, Sriracha, etc

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and spray a standard 12-muffin pan with Baker's Joy.

2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook chopped bacon and mushrooms together until the bacon is brown and the mushrooms are caramelized; drain, cool, and place in muffin cups.

3. Combine beaten eggs with salt and pepper; pour over bacon and mushrooms.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and sprinkle with optional cheese, scallions, and Sriracha.

Notes

• store leftovers, chilled, in an airtight container. Reheat for a minute or two in the microwave.

• depending on the bacon you use, you may need to adjust the amount of salt in the recipe.