How to Make Silky Sous Vide Eggs Without Sous Vide
There’s a lot of content out there to help you decide what to cook with your whimsical precision sous vide, dipping, circulating, no-flame tool, or whatever I’ve heard. I’ve read about all the cool things you can cook in a vacuum with tantalizing results – juicy steaks , cheesecakes , buttery lobster tails , and tender eggs – it all sounds fucking fantastic. But for those of us tinkering with kitchen tools that don’t include a few -ion suffixes, deserve a silky touch too! Not only do we deserve it, but you can also cook eggs in the oven, as in a vacuum.
The concept of vacuum immersion cooking is that you can precisely control the temperature to the point of perfect doneness as the heat is evenly distributed and the food floats like a heavenly body in a bath of water. Eggs are especially delicious when cooked this way because the precisely controlled heat never exceeds 158 degrees Fahrenheit, the coagulation point. This will prevent the egg whites from binding too much, which can lead to a rubbery white and a dusty yolk. Unfortunately, according to this article by Hunker and various other sources, the lowest possible temperature on most gas and electric stoves can be anywhere between 195 and 300 degrees Fahrenheit – a huge range, and definitely out of silky egg territory. To get Starbucks-worthy sous vide eggs, we need to think outside the box. That is the oven.
Water bath
Because the softest, dreamiest egg texture can only be achieved with low, gentle heat, a barrier is needed to gently distribute the heat. This is a great opportunity for a hot water bath in a low temperature oven. A hot water bath in an oven mimics the sous vide process relatively well—water is used to heat the eggs consistently and gently, and while the eggs are not vacuum sealed as they are in sous vide, the moisture they contain prevents them from drying out. The water bath maintains the temperature around the food at a constant 212°F (water evaporation point). The oven is set to 275 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing ambient air to cook the top of the dish in a reasonable amount of time. In about an hour, a portion of divinely silky eggs will fall on your plate.
How to do it
This method works best with egg whites, while whole eggs always firm up a bit, although they make great material for breakfast sandwiches. If you choose to use whole eggs, you will need a keen eye to check them towards the end of the cooking time. Eggs cooked in the sous vide oven can be poured in large portions into a casserole dish or into non-stick muffin tins to prepare separate portions. Make sure you have a large pot or other deep dish that can be used in the oven. I like to use clear pyrex utensils so I can see what’s going on with my bain-marie and how the eggs are cooking inside.
Place a folded kitchen towel that you don’t mind getting wet in the bottom of a large plate. Make sure it’s very flat – you don’t want the towel peeking out of the water. Lightly oil the smaller plate and place it on top of the towel in the larger one. A large pot will hold hot water, and a towel will provide protection from direct heat to the bottom of the eggs. Whisk one to two cups of egg whites or whole eggs in a medium bowl until no lumps remain. (Don’t beat too hard—you don’t want a lot of bubbles on top.) You can skip this step if you’re using runny eggs from the box , as they’re already smooth. Season the eggs to taste, then pour them into an oiled inner baking dish. At this point, you can sprinkle with any cheese or pre-cooked chopped vegetables. Cover this smaller dish tightly with foil and place in the larger dish along with the towel. Place the baking dishes in the oven before adding water – it’s easier to fill the baking dish with water while it’s inside the oven than walking around the kitchen with water splashing inside. Pour hot water into a large saucepan until it rises slightly above the level of the eggs in the inner saucepan.
Bake at the lowest setting or in an oven at 275°F. Time will vary from 20 minutes to an hour depending on how large the batch is and whether it is in muffin tins or one large pot. You’ll know they’re ready when you shake the plate and the center starts to wobble, but it’s no longer liquid. Remove the entire appliance from the oven, but leave the smaller dish covered and inside the water container until the entire bath has cooled slightly, or about 10 minutes.
Try a batch of these plain baked eggs with spinach and feta cheese to stave off those afternoon hungry moments. It also makes a great breakfast sandwich: toast an English muffin, cut out a muffin-sized square, add a slice of tomato, and you’re done. Attention Weekly Meal Makers: This recipe can be doubled up for a healthy and tasty snack anytime.
Eggs without spinach and feta Sous Vide-less
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups egg whites (about 12 egg whites)
- 3 oz baby spinach (roasted and chilled)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 ounces feta cheese (crumbled)
Set oven to 275°F. Lightly oil the bottom half of a pyrex baking dish. Prepare a large pyrex plate by laying a folded kitchen towel on the bottom. It is best to use a thin or small towel so that it does not protrude from the water. Heat about four cups of water for a bain-marie. (I use a kettle for easy heating and pouring.)
Place the egg whites in a small bowl or measuring cup and beat until there are no visible clumps. No need to whisk; the bubbles on top are baked with a slightly stiff texture and we are going to make it silky. (You don’t have to beat if they come from a carton of egg whites.) Season the eggs with salt and any other herbs and spices you like.
Pour the eggs into an oiled pyrex bread pan. Sprinkle eggs with feta cheese and sauteed spinach. It will sink a little, and that’s okay.
Cover the top of the bread pan tightly with foil. Place the pyrex molds on a baking sheet for easy handling and place the whole thing in the preheated oven. Fill a larger pyrex with hot water so that it looks like a moat surrounding a pot of eggs. Fill until the water line is just above where the eggs are in the bread pan. Make sure the towel is completely submerged in water. Push the pot in and close the door.
Bake at 275°F. Check-in 30 min. Shake the pan gently to see how the food is cooking. At this point, the eggs will most likely be runny, but the edges should be opaque. Top up with hot water if necessary. Continue checking for wiggles every 5 minutes or so, baking for up to 20 more minutes.
If the edges are seized, and the center sways slightly, then the eggs are ready. Remove the entire unit and let it cool as is for 10 minutes. When you unroll the foil, the eggs are cooked and ready to eat. They also keep well, unopened, in the refrigerator for up to five days.