Hard-boiled eggs are quick and nutritious, yet many people have difficulty making them perfectly. Here is a simple way to ensure they are perfectly cooked every time.

First, put the trivet in the pot. Add 1 cup of water for a 6-quart pot, or 1.5 cups for an 8-quart Instant Pot.

Add as many eggs as you like.

Pressure cook high for zero minutes. On some pots you must choose one minute and hit cancel as soon as it reaches pressure, others will allow zero time and auto shutoff.

Do not open the steam valve; let it sit. This is called “natural decompression.”

Set a timer for 14 minutes if you want your yolks to turn out like this. I think these are slightly over cooked but it’s your egg, your choice.

A ten minute rest time will turn out more like this;

Reduce the decompression to six minutes and they will look like this;

I like both six and ten minute versions. Here’s a side by side comparison;

Your Instant Pot may cook differently than my eight-quart model. Try the six, ten, and fourteen minute settings and find your favorite. Once you find the settings you like, this method is perfectly repeatable and very easy.

A caveat about eggs: Most eggs sold in the U.S. are inflammatory! It may be tempting to buy discount eggs, but please don’t. Eggs from high-volume factory farms come from chickens fed corn, soy, and often, chemicals to change the yolk color, as well as antibiotics. The best option is local farm eggs, if you can verify that the chickens roam around and feed themselves. Corn- and soy-free eggs are available at Sprouts and Whole Foods. “Pasture-raised” can also mean corn- and soy-fed, and “free-range” just means they have access to an open door. It does not mean they are actually on a pasture. Chickens are omnivores who prefer to eat insects. They do not naturally eat corn and soy. It’s worth paying more for quality eggs. Poor quality eggs will harm your nutrition.