Making Soft Preserved Egg Yolks
Easy to prepare, with a soft, gooey texture and a taste that has been enhanced is soft cured egg yolks.
Okay, technically speaking, this is not a dish for meat. And I generally focus on dishes using beef. This dish is what I would call meat-adjacent. In that regard, preserved egg yolk complements a range of meaty foods exceptionally nicely. Imagine spreading it on a biscuit and then covering it with bacon.
Or, as I have done in this instance, spread over properly cooked flat iron pieces to make the best steak and eggs. Pro tip: They are a great complement to charcuterie boards as well.
Then why are egg yolks cured?
Well, there are a few. The method of curing not only preserves and extends the shelf life but also enhances the flavor of the yolk. And I think we can all agree that can only be a positive thing. The texture is drastically altered by curing the yolk. The yolks can then be gently cured so that you can experiment with various applications without having to deal with an avalanche of egg lava.
The feel of soft cured egg yolks is actually rather intriguing. They resemble the inside of a jelly bean, in my opinion. Gooey and a little chewy, but still wonderfully unctuous.
How can I stiffen the cured egg yolks?
The majority of cured egg yolk recipes demand them to be completely dried, transforming them into a material resembling bottarga. They may then be shaved over finished meals once they have dried and become firm, adding still another usage and application possibility.
Consider shaved, cured yolks over carbonara. I like soft cured better since I believe they are more luxurious. Simply let your cured eggs sit in the cure for 4-5 days, then dry them in a low oven for a few hours or in a dehydrator to make them firmer.
Firmer-cured egg yolks may be stored in the same way for up to a month, whereas soft-cured egg yolks can be kept in an airtight container for a few days. The best part is that making soft-cured yolks only takes 12 hours and is SO simple.
Can you consume soft-cured egg yolks?
This a difficult query. You do run a danger when eating uncooked eggs, just like when eating shellfish or steak tartare. Therefore, you must rely on the source of your eggs to be fresh and handle them in a safe manner along the route. If you're worried, I suggest drying the egg yolks out even more till they're a hard cure, which will also make them "safe" to eat.
Ingredients
- 1 kosher salt cup
- One sugar cup
- 4 eggs
Instructions
Combine the salt and sugar in a bowl.
Use a deep-sided airtight jar and fill the bottom with 2/3 of the salt mixture. To hold the yolks, carefully push four depressions into the salt mixture using the back of a spoon.
Separate the whites from the yolks with care, attempting to remove as much albumen (white) from the yolk as possible. Each yolk should be carefully inserted into the spoon's indentation. You may freeze the egg whites in little baggies and preserve them for recipes that need whites, like meringue, even if you don't need them for this one.
Shake the remaining cure mixture gently over the yolks to thoroughly coat them. Place the container's cover on top, then chill for 16 hours. There is nothing wrong with allowing them to cure for a longer period of time; just be aware that they will become firmer the longer you leave them.
Gently take each egg yolk out of the salt mixture and give it a cold water rinse. They may now be enjoyed after being pat dry with a paper or store towel.
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