Eggs Benedict

Two hard parts: 1) Poached egg has to have the yolk runny but the white all set (no watery white yucky liquid), 2) Hollandaise sauce. No jar sauce, please. If you are careful you can do it without a double boiler. The Rombauer's blender hollandaise is perfectly acceptable, too. Use plenty of lemon and a little cayette.

Eggs Benedict (and Eggs Florentine) fall into the category of famously-fancy-but-actually-simple-to-make. Like soufflé's. How hard is it to toast an English muffin or fry some Canadian bacon? Poached eggs? Easy to make, and you can make them in advance up to several days ahead and reheat them. That leaves the Hollandaise sauce -Which is an easy five-minute job.

Jazz it up a bit - Halve the lemon juice in the Hollandaise and replace that half with white wine. Absolutely delicious.

This is one of those things I always wanted to like, but I just can't with the runny egg yolks.....just can't do it.

I’ve tried and tried and I still can’t poach an egg to save my life. And I’m a fairly experienced cook.

If the eggs are cooked properly, the yolk should be a very thick liquid -Not "runny" but slowly moving. Just for convenience, I often make this with eggs fried over easy. You really don't notice the difference.

Runny egg yolks are heavenly r3.

What is cayette?

Pretty sure they meant cayenne (pepper),

Whole Foods had refrigerated hollandaise...how do you know when the yolk is right please?

I've been doing my eggs in the instant pot for 1 minute on low and they come out as good as poached.

Poaching eggs correctly is a bitch. Actually, cooking eggs perfectly is one of the hardest jobs in a restaurant. I've had chef friends tell me that's how they were tested to get hired in a restaurant.

No.

NEVER eat it in a restaurant for brunch. Never.

Why are poached eggs considered difficult. All it takes is practice and knowing your pan and stove and what a poached egg looks like.

"As good as poached" ain't poached. But an instant pot poaches them just fine, I've heard. Why would it matter how the water got hot? So they ARE poached.

And Hollandaise sauce is easy to make. People just need not to skip the white pepper and cayenne, as they often do. It's just "Dutch sauce," and nothing the Dutch cook is anything to get nervous about.

What's the mystery about eggs Benedict, other than the fact that they're overrated to the point of being fetishized?

Personally I prefer eggs Béarnaise, which offer a better excuse for the making of a sauce for eggs, which don't really need them outside of dinner.

[R9], You need to get the egg yolks thick enough that you can see the bottom of the pan through the whisk. Don't mess with a double boiler -Just put the pan on low heat, and lift it up periodically while you whisk. Add the butter slowly. Make sure the butter is at room temperature -You don't want to cool down the egg yolks.

[R12] makes some good points. Traditional Benedicts can be quite bland. I much prefer eggs Florentine, which means chopped cooked spinach enrobed in a béchamel (white) sauce, or with cheese added, instead of the meat. Béchamel is the most basic sauce -very simple to make. As R12 points out, the cayenne pepper is an essential ingredient -As are a few scrapes of fresh nutmeg. An unseasoned white sauce is just nasty! Adding the right amount of salt, nutmeg, and pepper gives it a great flavor that really complements the dish.

At a French patisserie once time I had a lovely dish of baked eggs topped with fresh asparagus spears and covered in a mustard sauce (a béchamel with mustard added for flavor). Out of this world. Eggs are really not hard to make -any style. Julia Child did an episode called "Elegance With Eggs" that will show you lots of ideas. The key to turning those plain eggs into something great is knowing how to do a few sauces -And applying a little imagination. Yes, poaching takes a little practice. There's nothing wrong with "cheating" and using an egg poacher.

And for the record, I never have Hollandaise sauce in a restaurant unless I know the chef. Instant, pre-made versions are terrible, and ruin the meal -Especially when you know what it's supposed to taste like!

For perfect poached eggs, fill a small pan with three inches of water and boil.

Meanwhile break egg into a shallow saucer. Lower boiling water to a simmer, then twirl flat pan to create a vortex in the simmering water. Slide the egg into the center of the water, stop swirling and leave it to form a round. Cook until yolk is near-solid, then use a spatula to remove the egg. Voila, beautifully poached egg!

....

It's all about eggs in purgatory!

What about this stuff, or Knorr?

^^^ The Devil's powder!

I've heard that this method of poached eggs does work.

It can work, but you have to be very, very careful. Some plastic wraps actually melt in boiling water, and the ties come off.

Hollandaise is not that hard but is there any way to make it a bit ahead of time? That stuff doesn't last too long in my experience.

Yummy.

I prefer Eggs Drumkilbo.

[R22] Hollandaise is always the last thing I make before going to the table. It can be gently reheated, but there's a chance of it "breaking" (de-emulsifying) -and turning into an oily, clumpy mess. Here are some suggestions:

1. Put the sauce into a thick, glass or ceramic container that retains heat well, and keep it covered. If necessary, put that container in a larger bowl of very hot water to keep it warm. Don't use boiling water or you may curdle the sauce.

2. If the sauce has broken (you'll definitely know), try adding boiling water or scalded cream a few drops at a time while whisking. Keep adding until you get back to the original consistency. If that doesn't work, slowly add another beaten egg yolk to the sauce while whisking. If neither of these fixes work, you have to start over.

Once you've made it a few times, you find you can whip up a Hollandaise sauce in 4-5 minutes. If I have guests, I start the sauce as I send them to the table, and bring it in when I join them. That may not be proper etiquette, but I'm always forgiven when I put the fresh, hot sauce on the table.

Is Eggs Benedict supposed to be a 3am post-Stork Club pickmeup?

I tend to judge breakfast/brunch joints by their Eggs Benedict, if they offer it. It's fairly simple to make, but also easy to screw up, so there's no excuse for having it on the menu if you don't know what you're doing.

There is more than one way to poach an egg.

Another fan of Bernaise sauce as opposed to standard Hollandaise(which can easily be made in a blender, food processor or with an immersion blender) Damn but that stuff is tasty. Using a Thermos bottle or other type of vacuum flask, it's easy to keep the sauce serving temperature for about an hour.

Substituting seeded rye bread for the English muffins is a nice change of pace.

If you want excellent poached eggs, you need to time them accurately. It may take a few tries, but then you can always reproduce stellar eggs, because you'll know the exact time that made them so good. Record the time somewhere, so you won't have to try to remember it, and possibly over- or under-cook your eggs.

Some people consider the flimsy, stringy edges of poached eggs to be the height of Yuck! You may not have noticed, but egg whites have two different consistencies, and can be separated by placing the out-of-shell egg in a strainer, a small, saucer-shaped porcelain one is best(far less chance of the yolk breaking) allowing it to drain for a minute. The firmer part of the white continues to adhere to the yolk, producing a better-looking poached egg.

But hey, make your Bloody or Virgin Mary's spectacular, and you'll be forgiven the EB shortcomings.

R12 we also have many Indonesian inspired dishes and I can assure those aren't always easy to make

For perfect poached eggs, microwave them for 3 minutes on the baked potato setting in a mixture of one part water/one part white vinegar.

The microwave queen has showed up to ruin our culinary fantasies.

I once had eggs Benedict for breakfast in San Francisco, left the restaurant because I had a plane to catch and then proceeded to get the runs and had to find the nearest toilet while running like a maniac.

The scat queen has showed up to ruin our culinary fantasies.

it was only my commentary to the topic at hand, R34

it was only my commentary to the topic at hand, R34

And what a valuable contribution, R35.

The Indonesian queen has shown up to ruin our culinary fantasies.

let's face is bad eggs are really unpleasant for the bowels. Has anyone tried eggs benedict without the snotty yolk?

OP, you have me craving eggs benedict now.

I was reading this thread before bed last night, so naturally I woke up this morning with cravings. Just finished a (over-large) plate of eggs Florentine. Absolutely spectacular, especially served on homemade bread, baked Thursday. When the world opens up again, I'm going to need to be wheeled out of my house... What can you do when you live alone in a lockdown? Cooking and eating become your main pleasures.

[quote] You may not have noticed, but egg whites have two different consistencies, and can be separated by placing the out-of-shell egg in a strainer, a small, saucer-shaped porcelain one is best(far less chance of the yolk breaking) allowing it to drain for a minute. The firmer part of the white continues to adhere to the yolk, producing a better-looking poached egg.

This sounds like it's worth trying.

Just another who prefers Béarnaise to Hollandaise. For R3 is the fear of food borne illness what puts you off? Try Davidson's eggs... they're pasteurised, and I've used them raw in salad dressing with absolutely no intestinal turmoil! I like them for my Carbonara, and other sauces I don't wish to overcook.

If it's purely psychological or a texture thing, I suppose you're out altogether then.

R18 - that's a step below this . . .

What is the difference between a poached egg and an egg benedict?

Poaching is a way of cooking by submersion in barely-boiling water or other liquids. Poached eggs are eggs cooked that way. When done properly, they are very soft, with a smooth, cooked white and a thick, still-liquid yolk. No crusting or rubbery bits like you get from frying.

Eggs Benedict is a (usually breakfast) dish made by placing a poached egg on a piece of ham or Canadian bacon on top of a toasted English muffin. The whole thing is topped with Hollandaise sauce (made from egg yolks, butter, and lemon juice). You can vary things a bit with toast or other meats if you like.

Thank you, R46!

Anyone make a reduced fat or healthier fat version of the sauce?

The saturated fat queen has to show up and ruin our culinary fantasies.

Dishes like these are not health food -Nor are they every-day breakfasts. A couple of times a month won't do you any harm. Not to mention you'll savor and enjoy it more if it's a treat.

You cannot make a low-fat Hollandaise, so don't bother. You can make a yellow sauce, but it won't have the flavor or texture you're looking for, and that will leave you with the original craving. If you want something similar eggs Benedict that is lower in fat and cholesterol, replace the meat with spinach or grilled vegetables like asparagus, zucchini, mushrooms, or peppers. Getting rid of the pork will also drastically cut down on the sodium! Instead of Hollandaise, make a cheese or mustard sauce (béchamel sauce, with added cheese or flavorings). A glug of white wine in a sauce will radically bump up the flavor. Replacing the English muffin with a high-density, whole-grain bread will also help. The bread serves two functions: crunch (it should be toasted) and soaking up sauce to keep flavor in every bite. If it can add protein and fiber, so much the better!

Finally, these dishes should not be served with fried potatoes if you are trying to stay healthy -even on splurge day. Instead, go for fresh fruit -cut melons and berries. More fiber and you'll be feeling full. Skip the OJ and have a good cup of tea instead.

If you place the eggs in a pan of boiling water for 10-15 seconds, removed them, pour out the water till it’s a couple of inches deep, reduce to a simmer and then crack the eggs into the water they hold together much better.

R50, you're a doll!

[quote]OP, you have me craving eggs benedict now.

R40 >

Thank you, [R52]. So why am I still single??? ;)

The key to perfect poached eggs is the yolks should be molten. Liquid but never runny. They should slowly ooze out when cut. And forget about vortexes and vinegar. Unnecessary.

[quote] And forget about vortexes

Oh dear. I’ll try to forget I read that. We say vortices around here.

I have a friend who makes his hollandaise in the blender!

He would make Eggs Benedict for me when I would come to visit and it was always so delicious. I was stunned when he told me he made his Dutch Sauce in the blender.

It's a fairly simple thing to make for me. Egg yolks, butter, lemon salt and pepper for the hollandaise - and poaching the egg get a mesh strainer and drain off the runny white then into a bath and poach. Ham or Canadian bacon over English muffin, toast or whatever. I've pretty much mastered the various methods of cooking eggs.

You can make perfectly good Hollandaise in a blender -But why bother? The cleanup is a pain. Much simpler to whip it up in a small saucepan (hence the name). Easy cleanup and no assembly/disassembly required.

I can't say I've mastered all the ways of cooking eggs like [R58] has, but can affirm that learning to go beyond fried, boiled, and scrambled really pays off! French omelets are fast and easy. Baked, shirred, and oefs en cocotte, poached... You cam move away from breakfast and make wonderful lunch dishes, appetizers, and sides for elegant gatherings.

Gawd damn it, this thread made me try to make hollandaise sauce today. I have English muffins, eggs, smoked salmon, capers, spinach I sautéed, so I dragged out my Betty Crocker cookbook and gave it a try. It looked great and I thought it had turned out fine, then when I gave it a last stir before topping the eggs, it broke and turned to a greasy mess. The heat was as low as it could possibly be and it never bubbled. WHAT DID I DO WRONG?

I use wheat bread, Kraft holidays sauce, ham and sunny side up eggs with salt and pepper to taste. It’s very delicious

If you ask for "Canadian bacon" in Canada, no one will know what you're talking about.

I love Hollandaise sauce & Eggs Benedict. But Hollandaise sauce is somewhat redundant on a runny egg, IMO. The lemony part is what makes Hollandaise distinctive. Maybe a squeeze of lemon would be really good on poached eggs (plus toast, etc.). If you like Egg McMuffins, those don't have Hollandaise and they're still really good.

Also, I don't like it when there's something under the egg that's tough or hard to cut. Dungeness crab under the egg sounds really good to me (haven't tried it yet).

Aunt Penny to the rescue.

But R50 I love to dip fried potatoes in the hollandaise sauce! So good!

Make sure you use BAYS English muffins! They are so much better than crappy Thomas’!

r60 Just because it didn't bubble, the sauce may have gotten too warm anyway. Once the sauce emulsifies remove it from the heat, it'll stay warm from the residual heat of the pot.

Egg yolks can absorb only so much butter. It's the same when you make mayonnaise which can break if too much oil is used. Try using an extra yolk, or less butter the next time you make hollandaise.

You can try to re-emulsify a broken Hollandaise, by thoroughly beating an egg yolk and S-L-O-W-L-Y adding the broken sauce. Whisk like mad. This same technique works with a broken mayonnaise.

You can attempt to "hide" a broken sauce by adding one of the ingredients, finely chopped, that you were going to use when you built your layers: ham, crabmeat, spinach, etc.

If you use three yolks to make the sauce, include one white, it will help to stabilize the emulsification.

I've never had a Hollandaise or Bearnaise break when I've used a blender or food processor. Yolks have to be beaten into submission before fat is added, these two appliances make it a snap. Your butter has to be almost bubbling hot, it'll be cooled down quickly from the rapid beating.

You can try Chef John's method, over at FoodWishes. He puts the butter and yolks in a metal bowl, and warms them directly on the stove, while whisking furiously. It flies in the face of classic technique, but it works.

Food for thought.

R67 I made a half recipe so only one yolk. When the sauce broke I considered adding another yolk but wasn't sure it would work, and didn't want to make that much to begin with and waste another egg if it failed. I think I definitely left it on the low heat too long, next time I will take it off and cover while I assemble. My recipe said use cold butter whisked into the yolk and lemon juice. If i use too much lemon would that fuck the texture right from the beginning or will it just taste too lemony in a sauce that turns out with ok texture?

There's a restaurant in SF that does a crab Benedict that is so delicious and over priced: crab asparagus, thinnest slices of lemon, eggs and hollandaise sauce (wasabi or regular). It's so good but they use shitty Thomas's english muffins. I think any ridiculous eggs Benedict dish should come with a really nice, sturdy toasted english muffin underneath. I still order it though, when I'm there three times a year or so.

Thanks, [R67]. I was going to offer pretty much the same information but you beat me to it. I guess that means I have to go to work now (no excuse for delaying)... :)

Per Americas Test Kitchen. Boil some water in stock pot. Add some salt and dash of white vinegar. Crack eggs in fine mesh strainer to discard the very thin runny white ( this prevents that stringy mess). When water boils, turn off heat and slide raw eggs into water. Leave for approx 3 or 4 minutes. Use slotted spoon to remove eggs.

I’ve tried this at least 10 times. 100% success.

Also, be sure to cover pot after placing eggs in water.

[quote] Make sure you use BAYS English muffins! They are so much better than crappy Thomas’!

You mean you don't serve English Muffins made from scratch?

The restaurant that makes my favorite Eggs Benedict serves theirs on sourdough toast. It's surprisingly really good. Their Hollandaise sauce is on the thinner / runnier side, really good as well. Very lemony and buttery.

R56

Well bless your heart. Learn something new every day, I say. Now don't forget to change your Kotices, dear.

R60, maybe you should stop stirring it with your dick.

I prefer Dirk Benedict.

One night I made salmon patties for dinner. I had some leftover so in the morning I made a salmon patty Benedict. It didn’t even need hollandaise. Just a poached egg with a runny yolk. It was SO GOOD!

R72 that looks great. Has anyone here made them?

If it's for Sunday Brunch, then I want some Link Benedict on the side staying over from Saturday night.