Stress-Free Eggs Benedict

We’ve seen eggs benedict done a million times. Today the focus is on timing. This dish is, in my mind, always the most difficult because of the timing. Getting your eggs poached perfectly, whether it’s for 2 or 20 people, can be challenging. Combine that with the timing of your muffins and bacon being warm and you’ve got a possible storm brewing. This eggs benedict recipe shows you how to bring it all together at once with no stress.

Makes: 2 Prep time: 40 Minutes max Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

  • 6 Eggs
  • 62ml. of butter / 1/4 cup
  • 2 English Muffins
  • 4 Slices of extra thick bacon (you can use ham or back bacon as well)
  • 1/2 Lemon
  • 3 Tablespoons of white vinegar
  • Dash of worcestershire
  • 3 Drops of tabasco chipotle sauce
  • Pinch of salt and pepper

Recipe

  • Pre Heat oven on bake to 350F or 175C.
  • Place bacon on elevated cookie tray. (racks over tray) I don’t like my bacon sitting in the fat. You can bake more bacon on a tray and it comes out perfectly cooked. Bake for 15 to 20 min. (Keep an eye on it depending on your oven.) Once cooked, reduce oven to warm and leave bacon there.
  • Heat pot with water and add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. ( This helps set the egg whites.) Once it has reached a low simmer gently place eggs into pot with slotted spoon. Wait approximately 3 minutes at sea level for eggs to set.
  • Set up a bowl with cold water and ice cubes to receive the semi poached eggs. Once the egg are done then remove with slotted spoon to ice bath. (Remember you want them slightly less done than you like as you will be warming them again.) You can set side the ice bath for several hours if you like in the fridge.
  • Set up pot with water to simmer. (Not a roiling boil.) At the same time melt butter in the microwave or on stove top. ( Not hot, just warm.) I don’t clarify my butter as I prefer the flavour.
  • Place a metal bowl over pot with two egg yolks already in it. (NOT touching the water.)
  • Start whisking yolks. Continue to whisk until the yolks have started to thicken. You should be able to draw the whisk through to see the metal on the bottom of the bowl. (ribbon like texture)
  • Start adding melted butter gradually until it is all in. At this point the sauce should be fairly thick.
  • Now add a couple of drops of tabasco. I prefer the chipotle flavor. 1 tbsp of lemon, white vinegar, salt and a few drops of Worcestershire. Whisk well and place in a thermos. (This will hold for several hours as well!)
  • At this point you can take a break if you like…The eggs are in suspension the bacon cooked and Hollandaise is done and safe.
  • When ready to launch, heat up a pot of water and then take the bacon out and set your oven to broil.
  • Once the water simmering, place your muffins in the oven. (So to speak)
  • Now take the eggs and place them in the warm water.
  • Pull muffins and plate. Place bacon on muffins.
  • Pull eggs and place on top of the bacon. Pour Hollandaise on top.
  • Whew! Your done!