With Easter just days away, perfect hard-boiled eggs are on my brain, and on our Easter menu. Yep, even though my blog is called Sunny Side Up, today’s egg post is about the hard-boiled variety. You would think making hard-boiled eggs should be filed under the easy category, but they’re trickier than you may think to get them just perfect. Cheat on time and they’re not quite done enough, overcook them and you have that weird gray ring around them. That may not seem like a big deal, but if you make deviled eggs, that filling ends up less than pretty. Oh, and don’t forget that an egg that isn’t cooled quickly will also not peel easily. That’s where hard-boiled eggs can quickly get filed under disaster instead.
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At our house, Easter is a true feast of food. That means lots of preparation and activity in our kitchen. My cutting boards, microwave, oven, and refrigerator are busy, busy, busy, all the way up to serving time. And, because I like to mix up our menu, there are usually only one or two dishes that are made year after year.
That’s why it’s GREAT to have some versatility when it comes to making hard-boiled eggs. They’re a staple item in our house at Easter, whether we’re coloring them or making deviled eggs. If the stovetop is crammed with pots and pans, I can make them in the oven. And if the oven is jam-packed, I can haul out my Instant Pot.
A Few Tips For Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Start with your eggs at room temperature
- Have a bowl of ice water at the ready to keep the eggs from continuing to cook
- Strange but true fact; older eggs peel easier
Stovetop Method
Place your eggs in a pot of cold water so they’re covered by about an inch of water.
Add a pinch of salt and cover the pot with a lid. Bring the water to a boil on high heat. Once the water is boiling, reduce heat to medium-high and boil for 6-7 minutes. When the time is up, carefully remove the eggs from the pot and put them in a bowl of ice water for a few minutes.
Oven Method
Yep, you read it correctly! Preheat your oven to 350. Put 1 egg in each cup of a muffin tin and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and place in the ice bath for about 10 minutes.
Instant Pot Method
Man oh man, do I love my Instant Pot. It was one of my best small kitchen appliance investments. I’ve used it to cook up everything from soup to the best Instant Pot ribs, but it also painlessly makes perfect hard-boiled eggs. There’s no need to purchase an extra Instant Pot gadget either, although they do make an entire set of them if you’re so inclined. Pour 1 cup of cold water into the Instant Pot. Add the wire rack, and carefully place the eggs on top of the rack. Secure the lid and turn the nozzle to Sealing. Set the cooking time for 5 minutes.
Once the time is up, turn the Instant Pot off and allow the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes, then quick release the rest of the way. Carefully remove the eggs and ice bath them for 5 minutes.
How To Perfectly Peel Hard-Boiled Eggs
Once your eggs have chilled out in the ice bath, you can either store them in the fridge unpeeled or peel them right away. Peeling hard-boiled eggs is the trickiest part. How do you keep them looking nice and still make quick work out of the process? In my opinion, to get the easiest peel, fill a bowl with room temperature water. Submerge each egg completely in the water and gently crack it in the bottom of the bowl.
Roll it around the bottom of the bowl to gently add cracks all over the eggshell surface. Working from the broad end of the egg, start peeling the shell off. Holding the egg underwater lets the water aid in the process of peeling the eggs. It’s magical and results in cleanly peeled, pretty eggs!
Watch the Video!
What are your secrets to perfectly peeled hard-boiled eggs?
Wishing you a fun and blessed Easter week, regardless of whether eggs are on the menu or not!
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