If you’ve ever struggled with peeling farm-fresh eggs, this method will change your life.
Usually, fresh eggs are a nightmare to peel. The Instant Pot is the only method that cooks them so you can peel them the same as store-bought! The high-pressure steam separates the membrane from the shell, making them slide right off every. single. time… It’s the ultimate kitchen hack for meal prep, easter eggs, deviled eggs, or a quick high-protein snack!
The Foolproof 5-5-5 Method
5 Minutes Pressure Cook: Set your instant pot to High pressure with 1 cup of water and your eggs in the bottom.
5 Minutes Natural Release: After cooking on high for 5 minutes, manually vent the remaining steam.
5 Minutes Ice Bath: Plunge them into ice-cold water, or run them under Ice cod water to stop the cooking and lock in that perfect yellow yolk. If you’re like me and have a well that puts out very cold water, you can use that instead of an ice bath.
The “Green Ring” Fix: If you see a gray/green ring around your yolk, that means they overcooked. You can fix this next time by tightening up your “Natural Release” time—don’t let them sit in the pot longer than 5 minutes! 😉
Soft Boiled Variation: If you want to make soft boiled eggs with “jammy” yolks for sourdough toast, try the 3-3-3 method instead.
Helpful Tools for the Perfect Egg
To make this process as smooth as your eggs, these two items (besides the instant pot) really help:
The Egg Rack: Don’t let your eggs bounce around in the water. A Stackable Egg Steamer Rack keeps them upright and allows the steam to circulate 360 degrees for an even cook.
The Ice Bath Vessel: You need a bowl that holds temperature well. A Deep Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl filled with ice and water ensures the “thermal shock” happens instantly, which is the secret to that easy peel.
I want to know what YOU think, Please review the recipe card!
Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs – Easy Peel Hard Boiled Fresh Eggs
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 6 –12 large eggs farm-fresh or store-bought
- 1 cup water for a 6-quart Instant Pot or 1.5 cups (for an 8-quart)
- 2 cups ice for the ice bath
Instructions
- Prep the Pot: Place the wire trivet or an egg rack into the bottom of your Instant Pot liner. Pour in the water.
- Add Eggs: Carefully place your eggs onto the rack. It’s okay if they touch, but try to keep them in a single layer for the most even cooking.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the lid and set the valve to the Sealing position. Select Manual/Pressure Cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes.
- Natural Release: Once the timer beeps, let the pot sit undisturbed for 5 minutes (this is the “Natural Pressure Release” or NPR).
- Quick Release: After those 5 minutes are up, carefully move the valve to Venting to release any remaining steam.
- The Ice Bath: While the steam releases, fill a medium bowl with cold water and plenty of ice. Immediately transfer the eggs from the pot to the ice bath using tongs.
- Chill: Let the eggs sit in the ice bath for at least 5 minutes.
- Peel: Crack the shell gently all over and watch it slide right off!
Notes
Nutrition
About Juliea
Juliea Huffaker is the creator of Farmhouse Harvest, and dedicated to teaching from-scratch cooking, sourdough baking, gardening, and food preservation. With over 25 years of hands-on experience she has preserved hundreds of jars of produce, mastered the art of meats and sourdough baking, and nurtured a thriving organic garden. Her recipes and articles have been featured across the web. And she’s passionate about inspiring others to embrace a simpler, self-sufficient life style.
