The Step-by-Step Guide to Eggs Benedict

Hi there, Foodies!

Today, we are going to talk about Eggs Benedict: a buttered English muffin topped with seared ham, a fluffy poached egg, and tangy Hollandaise sauce. Is your mouth watering yet?

While Eggs Benedict is a much-adored item on the brunch menu, people rarely make it at home. Why? Well, it’s intimidating. But don’t fear foodies. Despite what you might think, you do not have to be a professional chef to whip up a scrumptious Eggs Benedict in your own kitchen. Let me show you how:

Step #1: Poach your eggs 

We are going to get this out of the way right off the bat. If you can remember two words, temperature and vortex, you will be golden.

To feed my family of four, I used:

• 8 eggs
• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• 1 small saucepan of water (about 3-4 inches)
• 1 thermometer
• 1 regular, large spoon (no slots)
• 1 slotted spoon
• 1 bowl of ice water

First, heat the vinegar and water over medium heat until it reaches 180℉. When the thermometer reads just under 180℉, lower the heat slightly. The temperature will climb to 180℉, but the decrease in heat will keep the temperature steady for your egg. 

Place your egg into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. When you are ready to serve it, heat it in some hot water for about twenty seconds. Repeat for the rest of the eggs. You can poach two at a time, but I don’t recommend doing more than that if you are using the vortex method.

Step #2: Make your Hollandaise sauce 

You will need:

• 4 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp of lemon juice (I like mine lemony, but feel free to use less if you like yours less tangy)
• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• Pinch of kosher salt
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

Combine the yolks and lemon juice with a whisk until it has a batter-like consistency. It should look something like this:

Then, melt the butter in the microwave. I recommend melting it in a Pyrex measuring cup because it makes it easy to drizzle the butter into the yolk-lemon mixture later.

While the butter is melting, bring a saucepan of water (only half-way filled) to a gentle boil. Rest the bowl with the egg mixture on top of the pot of water (don’t let it touch the water), and stir rapidly with a whisk. It is important that you keep stirring so that the eggs do not scramble. Then (don’t stop whisking) slowly drizzle in the melted butter. The Hollandaise sauce should be warmed through, thickened, and a pale yellow color. Season with salt and cayenne pepper.

Step #3: Assemble 

You will need:

• 4 English muffins, halved, toasted and buttered
• 4 slices of ham, lightly seared (or bacon if you prefer)
• Chives (to sprinkle on top)