Hard-boiled eggs that actually peel: 5-5-5
Five minutes pressure, five minutes rest, five minutes ice bath — and the shell slides off in two pieces every time.
eric has done this
The moment
It's Sunday night, you want protein in the fridge for the week, and the last batch of boiled eggs came out of the pot looking like they'd lost a fight. Half the white peeled off with the shell. You threw two away.
The stovetop is not the problem. Pressure is.
What you need
- Instant Pot or any electric pressure cooker — any size. The trivet and one cup of water is the whole setup.
- Metal trivet or steamer basket — the one that came in the box. Eggs must sit above the water, not in it.
- A bowl of ice water — make it before you start, not after.
Do this
- Pour 1 cup of cold water into the pot and set the trivet in.
- Stack the eggs on the trivet. A dozen fits in a 6-quart without crowding; two dozen works if you stack in two layers.
- Seal the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- When it beeps, let it sit untouched for 5 minutes of natural release. Don't walk away — this part is the timer that matters.
- Quick-release the rest of the pressure and move the eggs straight into the ice bath for 5 minutes.
- Crack the fat end of the egg first, then roll it on the counter under your palm.
What changes
A dozen eggs, fully cooked with no grey ring, that peel in two or three pieces. You'll know it worked when the first egg peels without you picking at it — if it fights you, the ice bath was too short.
Keeps unpeeled in the fridge for a week.
Adjust for altitude: above 5,000 feet, go 6-5-5.
