Classic Eggs Benedict
Make restaurant-quality eggs benedict at home! With toasted English muffins, poached eggs and a creamy hollandaise sauce! Easy and impressive!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 8 fresh large eggs, cold
- 8 ounces thinly sliced smoked ham
- 4 English muffins, split and toasted
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
for the hollandaise sauce
- 3 large pasteurized egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and hot
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat 3 inches water and vinegar in a wide, shallow saucepan or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer.
- Crack each egg into a separate bowl or small ramekin. Working carefully, gently slide each egg into the saucepan.
- Cook, undisturbed, until whites are cooked through, about 3-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove eggs and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Working in batches, cook ham until lightly browned and heated through, about 1-2 minutes per side.
- Place English muffins open-faced on a platter. Top evenly with ham and eggs, drizzling the tops with hollandaise sauce, garnished with chives and dill, if desired.
- Serve immediately.
for the hollandaise sauce
- Combine egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper in a blender until pale yellow in color, about 30-60 seconds. With the motor running, add butter in a slow stream until emulsified; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Notes
- Use vinegar when poaching eggs. Add a splash of vinegar to the water when poaching eggs - this will allow the eggs to hold up its shape.
- Simmer gently. Keep the water to a gentle simmer when poaching the eggs. This will prevent the eggs from breaking apart, overcooking or turning rubbery.
- Use room temperature egg yolks for the hollandaise. This will prevent the hot melted butter from solidifying when blending.
- Add the hot melted butter slowly. This will allow for proper emulsification to build a rich, creamy sauce without separating.
- Toast the English muffins. A golden-crisp toasted English muffin is key to hold up the toppings and to prevent sogginess.