I’m calling this Eggs Benedict – Updated because I originally wrote an Eggs Benedict recipe way back in January 2011. I have come a long way as a blogger and recipe creator since then, evolving both skills into a more streamlined approach. A simpler approach. In and of itself, Eggs Benedict can be a complicated recipe but I have managed to break this recipe down into one that is super simple. I served this on Easter Sunday as part of a bountiful brunch. We’re still under a stay at home order here in Illinois as we battle covid-19, otherwise we would have gone to a restaurant for brunch – however, ours was just as good and better!
Eggs Benedict
Ingredients:
- 8 eggs
- 1 tbsp. white vinegar
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- Cayenne Pepper
- Kosher Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 English Muffins, split in half
- 8 thick slices of ham or Canadian bacon
Directions:
- Poach the Eggs
- Fill a shallow pot with about 4 inches of water and add one tablespoon of vinegar. Place pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
- Working with one egg at time, crack egg into a ramekin or other small bowl.
- Using a spoon create a vortex in the water and gently add the egg. Cook each egg for 3 minutes* and then remove from water and place in a bowl filled with ice and water. Repeat until all eight eggs are cooked.
- *Make ahead alert! I highly recommend you poach your eggs ahead of time to speed up day of assembly. You can place ice water bowl, covered with plastic wrap, directly into the fridge 1 – 2 days ahead of time. When it comes time to re-heat, you can place the eggs into barely simmering water. I recommend reducing cooking time to 2 minutes if making ahead of time.
- Make the Hollandaise
- Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat.
- Meanwhile, add the egg yolks and lemon juice to a blender.
- When butter is melted, blend the egg mixture for a few seconds, then slowly pour the butter in, in a steady stream. Blend until you have silky and smooth sauce, about 45 seconds.
- Season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary; keep warm.
- Assembly
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Place English Muffin halves on a sheet pan.
- Toast in oven for several minutes until crispy.
- Remove from the oven and add the ham, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.
- Place back into oven for just a minute or so to make sure everything is warm and toasty.
- Enjoy!
- Here is the process I used for a Sunday brunch.
- Saturday night: Poach eggs as described and place in a bowl with water and ice. Covered and stored eggs overnight.
- Sunday 30 minutes before service: Make hollandaise sauce and pour into pot. Keep warm on the back burner of the stove that is pre-heating. Residual heat from the oven heating will keep the sauce warm enough.
- Sunday 20 minutes before service: heat a shallow pot of water.
- Sunday 10 minutes before service: toast English Muffins. While they toast, heat up eggs for a minute or two. Then assemble everything and put back into oven for a quick minute or two.
- Serve!
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