The Instant Pot can do so many different things, and it’s been a fixture in kitchens around the world for many years now. You can use them to make full meals, or for simple tasks like making hard boiled eggs. Let’s take a quick look at making these protein packed treats.
What are hard boiled eggs?
A hard boiled egg is an egg that has been cooked, in it’s shell, until the inside white and yolk become solid. The can be achieved in a few different ways, but the most traditional method is to place fresh eggs in water, bring the water to a boil, then cook the eggs for several minutes. After a period of time, the eggs are cooled off in ice water and peeled. Hard boiled eggs can be eaten right away with a dash of salt and pepper. Hard boiled eggs are also a frequent ingredient in many popular recipes including salads such as egg salad or potato salad.
Brown Eggs, White Eggs… Blue Eggs?
You’ve probably noticed that there’s many kinds of chicken eggs available at most supermarkets. We see white eggs, brown eggs, cage free, and even blue eggs! Hens with white feathers lay white eggs; hens with brown feathers lay brown eggs; but no… hens with blue feathers don’t lay blue eggs. There’s actually lots of different kinds of chickens and there’s a few breeds which lay the blue eggs. Which eggs are the best? It’s all a matter of taste but they’re all still chicken eggs so they can be used interchangeably. Personally, I’m a fan of the cage free brown eggs.
Nutrition of Hard Boiled Eggs
Hard boiled eggs are loved for their simplicity as a protein packing food. One egg contains approximately 6 grams of protein and under 80 calories. Eggs are also rich in various vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, B2, B12, B5, phosphorous and selenium. In other words, eggs are a great way to satisfy an appetite and get the energy and protein you need to start your day.
Why Make Hard Boiled Eggs in an Instant Pot?
Because it’s so easy. No need to get out another big pot from the cupboard, fill it with a ton of water and wait for it to boil. Your Instant Pot likely already resides on your kitchen counter and all you need is about a cup and a half of cool water. That’s it! When you’re done, just pour the water out. There ya go… finished.
Equipment Needed
You’ll need an Instant Pot pressure cooker and the metal trivet that comes with it. The trivet is perfect for holding 1 or several eggs with ease. You can also purchase specially made egg holders that fit right inside. Those can be nice if you’re making many eggs at once. But really, all you need is the trivet.
Preparation
Place the trivet or egg holder inside the Instant Pot, add 1.5 cups of cool water, and place the eggs on the trivet. You can comfortably fit 6-8 large eggs on the trivet that comes with the standard 6qt appliances. If make more than that, I’d recommend doing 2 or more batches. That’s it, preparation done.
How Long to Cook Hard Boiled Eggs in an Instant Pot?
For best results, the pressure cooking time for Instant Pot hard boiled eggs is 5-6 minutes. This yields the best results for a perfectly cooked white and yolk in a large or extra-large egg. It all depends on how you like the yolks done. In my tests I found that 5 minutes gave the yolks a slightly creamy consistency, with the yolks being a little darker in the center. Some people absolutely LOVE them that way. At 6 minutes, the yolks were more of a uniform, light color throughout. So really, it’s just a matter of preference. Once the eggs are inside the pot and the lid secured, pressure cook on high pressure for 5-6 minutes. It will take a few minutes for the pot to come to pressure. The eggs are actually starting to cook during this time. Once the pot reaches pressure, it will beep and the countdown timer will begin. When the time is up, open the valve and quick release the pressure.
Cool Your Eggs For 5 Minutes
After you’ve quick released the pressure, carefully remove the lid. Use tongs to carefully remove each egg and place them in a bowl filled with some ice and water. This will stop the eggs from cooking and also make the eggs easy to peel. The eggs should sit in the ice water bath for 5 minutes.
Easy Peeling
The bottom of the egg (the wide end), will naturally have a little space between he cooked egg white and the shell. So give the bottom of the egg a bump on a hard surface to crack it. Then, turn it over and crack the top. Now carefully begin peeling away the shell. You can also do this under running cold water. It will help wash away any pieces of the shell.
Ready to Enjoy
You’ve probably had hard boiled eggs a million times already. So really, you can just bite right in and enjoy. Usually a pinch of salt and pepper is perfect for a flavor boost. But, don’t limit yourself to just salt and pepper, there’s LOTS of ways to enjoy hard boiled eggs!
Smoked paprika is a favorite topping and adds a nice deep, savory flavor. Onion or garlic powder can add some very satisfying flavor. Fresh chives ad fresh parsley can add a nice vibrance. Another super popular way to enjoy hard boiled eggs is with everything bagel seasoning. Just like the toppings on an everything bagel, this is a combination of all those flavors in a convenient seasoning mix. It usually consists of onion, garlic, poppy seed, sesame seeds and salt. It can be found in most supermarkets in the spice section. How Many Eggs Can I Make At Once? For best results, the metal trivet that comes with the instant pot can comfortably hold 6-8 eggs. I don’t recommend stacking eggs directly on top of each other. If you need to do more eggs, take a look at some of the Instant Pot egg holders available in stores or online retailers. You can also do eggs in multiple batches. The key is, before doing a 2nd batch, carefully pour out the hot water and refill the pot with cool water. The time it takes the pot to come to pressure is actually integral to cooking the eggs. If the water is already very hot, this will affect the outcome of the eggs by shortening their duration in the pressure cooking environment. What Causes a Green Ring Around the Yolk? Sometimes, you’ll find the yolk of a hard boiled egg has a green ring around it. This is an indication of the egg being overcooked. If you’ve found this to happen when making them in the Instant Pot, shorten the cooking time by 1 minute. My Eggs Were Underdone or Overdone. What do I do? So you’ve followed this recipe to a tee (and perhaps others too), and the eggs still didn’t come out to your liking. Here’s the thing, this can happen. There’s lots of variables that can contribute to the eggs perhaps needing a minute more or even a minute less in the cooking cycle. Altitude can have an effect, the age of the eggs, etc. All eggs are ultimately unique and variations in appliances can occur too. In my tests, this method worked the best the majority of the time. You can always start by trying just 1 or 2 eggs to see how they come out before doing several at once. How to Store Hard Boiled Eggs Hard boiled eggs are best stored with their shells on, in an airtight contain in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. If the eggs are already peeled, gently wrap a damp paper towel around them in the container.
5 from 3 reviews
