Food
The ‘5-5-5’ Method Is the Secret to the Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg Every Time
It takes out all the guess work.
The 5-5-5 Method makes the perfect Instant Pot hard-boiled egg — a total game-changer given how tricky it is to boil eggs for just the right amount of time. Seriously, you’ve been missing out if you’re only now hearing about this genius Instant Pot hack.
What is the 5-5-5 Method?
Remove the guesswork when it comes to hard-boiled eggs with the 5-5-5 Method. First, pour water into your Instant Pot, and then place a trivet on top. Second, place your eggs on top of the trivet, seal the Instant Pot, and set it to high pressure for five minutes. Third, let the eggs sit for five minutes while the Instant Pot releases pressure. Last, remove your eggs and place them in an ice bath for five minutes to halt the cooking process.
An obvious benefit of the 5-5-5 Method is that you don’t have to worry about overcooking or undercooking your eggs. Now, you can press a few buttons and walk away without worrying that your eggs will be slightly gray and stinky (tell-tale signs of an overcooked egg) or still runny (undercooked) when you peel them.
One last pro tip before we move on to adapting the 5-5-5 Method for a regular pot is to use older eggs (as long as they haven’t expired!) because these will be easier to peel. This is because egg shells become more porous the longer they sit, making it easier for carbon dioxide to escape and air to get in. As a result, the albumen, or egg white, shrinks a bit and doesn’t stick as much to the eggshell.
Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs on the Stove
If you don’t have an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, you can still simplify your process for making hard-boiled eggs. According to Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa and a bona fide master chef whose cooking advice we trust absolutely, the perfect boiled egg is easy to make. Simply place your eggs in a pot and cover with cold water. Then, bring the water to a boil. As soon as the water is hot and bubbly, turn off the heat and let the eggs sit for 15 minutes in the pot. Then, remove the eggs and let them sit for at least two minutes. Once the eggs are cool enough to touch, get to crackin’!
