Are you ready to go beyond pressure-cooked hard-boiled eggs? The next breakfast to try in your Instant Pot or multicooker is eggs en cocotte, French for "in pot" or ramekins more specifically. Traditionally, raw eggs are cracked into a buttered ramekin along with a splash of cream and, optionally, your choice of cheese, veggies, and herbs. The ramekins are then placed in a pot filled with a little bit of water. The lid goes on the pot, and the pot goes on the stovetop to boil the water and steam the contents of the ramekins until the egg whites set. It tastes like a cross between poached eggs and an omelette and is heavenly when scooped and spread onto fresh toast. A multicooker makes this process less than five minutes compared to the traditional method, which can take eight minutes to bring the water to boil and another six to seven minutes for the eggs to steam.
You will need an electric multicooker like Instant Pot or Crock-Pot Express, as pictured, as well as a trivet that will fit in the base of the multicooker's bowl and three small ceramic ramekins. We sautéed mushrooms and chives for our pressure-cooked eggs in cocotte, but you can also add in sautéed leek or shallot if you have them on hand. Just keep the overall veggie ingredients about the same so everything fits below the lipped rim of the ramekins.
If you have slightly larger ramekins, try cracking in an additional egg to fill it to just below the rim. A bigger vessel may affect your overall cook time, so be patient as you fiddle with what settings yield eggs the way you like them.
Consider this recipe a loose guideline to introduce the technique. The most important thing to remember is the multicooker will set those egg yolks FAST. So, if you love a runny yolk, start with setting it on a low pressure cook for one minute. Medium eggs, as pictured, will take two minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ghee, plus more for greasing
- 2 cups mushrooms, chopped (or other veggies of your choosing)
- salt
- 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
- 3 eggs
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
Directions
Using the sauté setting of a multicooker, melt ghee, then sauté mushrooms together, until tender, caramelized, and reduced to 3/4 cup. Season with salt to taste.
Meanwhile, grease the ramekins. When mushrooms are cooked, divide into ramekins. Top each with a teaspoon of chives, a freshly cracked egg, and a tablespoon of cream.
The multicooker pots are nonstick, and so you shouldn’t need to wash them. Simply add 2 cups of water to the bottom of the Instant Pot.
Add the trivet, and place the egg-filled ramekins on top. Secure and lock the lid of the multicooker. Pressure cook on low for 1-2 minutes. Quick release and immediately remove the top when the pressure has normalized. Carefully remove the ramekins. They’ll be hot, so use heatproof oven mitts or mason jar lifters (if you have them).
Serve with freshly toasted bread, like walnut levain as pictured.
(Photos via Brittany Griffin / Brit + Co)
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Anna Monette Roberts
As Brit + Co's Food Editor, Anna Monette Roberts has an insatiable appetite for developing tasty dishes. When she's not dreaming about her next meal, she's . . . well, probably cooking up her creations. Her favorite foods include chewy chocolate chip cookies, Rosé Champagne, and gooey French cheeses — in no particular order.
FAQs
Cover each ramekin with foil. Place the trivet in the inner pot of your electric pressure cooker and pour in 1 1/2 cups water. Arrange three ramekins on top of the trivet and carefully stack the remaining three ramekins on top of the first three. (If you have an additional rack, use it for stacking the ramekins.)
How long to boil an egg in a pressure cooker? ›
Pressure cook eggs on high for 5 minutes, wait 5 minutes before releasing pressure after the cooking time, and then plunge the eggs into an ice water bath for 5 minutes. For extra large or jumbo eggs, increase the cooking time to 7 or 8 minutes, respectively.
What happens if you put an egg in a pressure cooker? ›
The shells slipped easily off each time, leaving a smooth and pristine hard boiled egg. There are a few theories for why this is. Some say that, similar to steaming eggs, the pressure cooker forces steam inside the egg's shell during cooking, causing it to separate from the egg white.
Why do eggs explode in pressure cooker? ›
The trivet helps to keep the eggs nicely arranged so they don't collide during cooking and risk cracking, but the eggs should cook just fine without it. Note that not using a trivet *could* be why your eggs explode in the Instant Pot.
Can I use a cup instead of a ramekin? ›
Yup, you can use any small food safe receptacle.
Is it okay to boil eggs in a pressure cooker? ›
Pressure cooker hard-boiled eggs aren't any quicker to make (the pressure cooker's usual claim to fame), but here's why it's great: it actually makes fresh eggs easy to peel! If you happen to raise chickens or have access to really fresh eggs, a pressure cooker is the best way to make hard-cooked eggs.
How much water do you put in an egg in an egg cooker? ›
How to Use Egg boiler
| No of Eggs | Hard (water Quantity) | Soft (Water Quantity) |
|---|
| 1 | 66ml | 33ml |
| 2 | 64ml | 30ml |
| 3 | 60ml | 27ml |
| 4 | 56ml | 24ml |
2 more rowsSimply fill a bowl with cold tap water and place your eggs in it. If they sink to the bottom and lay flat on one side, they are fresh and good to eat. A bad egg will float because of the large air cell that forms at its base. Any floating eggs should be thrown out.
Can you overcook hard-boiled eggs in pressure cooker? ›
Hard boiled eggs can definitely be overcooked. I'm sure you've all seen an overcooked egg. The yolk has a dark green color around it and the egg white is rubbery.
Why did my egg just explode? ›
“The reason eggs, particularly poached eggs, explode in the microwave is due to the buildup of steam inside the egg,” says Trey Braswell, president of Eggland's Best franchisee Braswell Farms. “The water inside the egg heats up rapidly, turning into steam, but this steam doesn't have an easy way to escape.
A loud bang, followed by a very bad smell, are the usual signs. This phenomenon is caused by gas-producing bacteria, often Pseudomonas spp., inside the egg. Pressure inside such an egg builds up and even a small vibration can be enough to trigger the explosion.
Why are my eggs popping? ›
Fresh eggs are more likely to crack because the pH level of the whites is lower. Try to use eggs that are at least a few days old. Let eggs come to room temperature before boiling by taking them out of the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before cooking. This helps reduce the temperature shock that can cause cracking.
Can I put a ceramic bowl in a pressure cooker? ›
You must be wondering what are the best containers that you can use for the PIP method. There are numerous options available for the pot-in-pot method. Instant pot-safe bowls can be made of stainless steel, glass, ceramic, silicone, aluminum, bamboo, or copper.
What kind of containers can go in pressure cooker? ›
It is important to only use materials that are approved for pressure cooking, such as stainless steel, aluminum, or heat-resistant glass.
Can you put anything in a pressure cooker? ›
Just about any ingredient that can be steamed, or is cooked with liquids, can be cooked in a pressure cooker.
Can you put a ramekin in the crockpot? ›
You can fit four or five 3-inch (6-ounce) ramekins into a 6-quart oval slow cooker without having them touch each other. You use ramekins for baking muffins, cupcakes, and individual custards.
