Sous Vide Soft-Poached Eggs

Eggs are the poster child for sous vide cooking: The technique produces eggs with unique texture, and the method is hands-off and easily scalable. Typically, sous vide eggs are cooked at a low temperature (about 145°F/63°C) for at least 1 hour. This will give you yolks that are slightly thickened but still runny and barely set whites. Still, we found the texture of the whites to be too loose at this temperature range, most of them running off when we cracked into the eggs. Some recipes call for cracking these “63-degree eggs” into simmering water to better set the whites. We wanted to ditch that finishing step but still produce a solid poached egg, so instead we opted for cooking at a higher temperature for a shorter time to set more of the loose whites. While there is still some loose white that will run off after cracking the egg, this method produces something much closer to a traditional poached egg—right out of the shell! And with the ability to make these eggs ahead of time, this method is perfect for the brunch crowd.

Be sure to use large eggs that have no cracks and are cold from the refrigerator. Serve with crusty bread or toast. Fresher eggs have tighter whites and are better suited for this recipe. Eggs can be cooked, chilled in an ice bath for 10 minutes, and refrigerated for up to five days. To reheat, lower eggs into water bath set to 140°F/60°C and cook until heated through, at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour, then crack into bowls as directed.

Ingredients

• 1-16 large eggs

• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Using sous vide circulator, bring 4-inches water to 167°F/75°C in 7-quart Dutch oven or Lexan container. Using slotted spoon, gently lower eggs into prepared water bath, cover, and cook for 12 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, fill large bowl halfway with ice and water. Using slotted spoon, transfer eggs to ice bath and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 1 minute. To serve, crack eggs into individual bowls and season with salt and pepper.