sous vide essentials: pasteurized eggs

How To Make sous vide essentials: pasteurized eggs

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  PREP/PREPARE
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  For this to work, you will need a way to precisely control the temperature of the water. I am using a Sous Vide machine. However, if you have a good thermometer, and a way to keep a steady temp, that should work also. For this recipe, I am using a Sous Vide machine.
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  Statistically speaking about 1 million folks a year get sick from Salmonella poisoning, and raw egg can carry the Salmonella bacteria. So, why take chances. The process is easy, and it is all about the temperature.
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  Andy, I have seen methods of pasteurization involving a water bath of 140f (60c), and an immersion of only 5 – 7 minutes. Plus I have seen methods using the microwave. What is the difference? Well, the water bath at higher temp, and short immersion, will work externally; however, there is no way that the heat will reach the center of the egg. Plus, at 140f (60c) you are beginning to cook the egg. As to the microwave method, you have to crack the eggs open, put them into a bowl, scramble them, and add lemon juice. I want to pasteurize the egg, not cook it, and I want the whole egg to reach the target temperature, hence the slightly lower temp, and the long time in the water bath.
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  Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
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  Fill a container with water, and insert the sous vide machine.
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  Chef’s Note: It does not matter how much water you use, as long as it completely covers the eggs. As a matter of fact, it is easier to keep the temperature of the water stable if you are using a larger volume.
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  Set the machine to a temperature of 135f (57c).
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  Chef’s Note: You can do this on the stovetop, but if the temp go much beyond the recommended setting, you will wind up cooking the eggs, not pasteurizing them.
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  Allow them to sit in the water for 70 – 80 minutes. Then remove, drop into an ice bath to cool, and place in the fridge until ready for use.
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  Chef’s Tip: Keep them separate from your regular eggs, or as one of my students recommended, write the letter “P” on the shell.
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  PLATE/PRESENT
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  When you break one open, the white will be slightly cloudy, and they should cook fine in recipes that call for raw eggs. Whenever I make mayonnaise, I always use pasteurized eggs.
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  Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
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