The secret to perfect eggs Benedict is the creamy hollandaise sauce and perfectly poached eggs. The eggs need to be soft and runny when you break them open. It’s all about the timing so that everything is ready at once. I’ve sent this dish back to the kitchen at a restaurant as they overcooked the eggs, and it just wasn’t the same.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for 4 servings:
For the hollandaise sauce:
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 to 4 T. of fresh lemon juice
- 1/8 tsp. of Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
- dash of white pepper
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 T. water
- 8 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
for the eggs Benedict:
- 8 poached eggs
- 8 thick slices of Canadian bacon
- 4 English muffins, sliced and toasted
- 1 to 2 T. softened butter (for the English muffins)
- salt and pepper to taste
- paprika
Here’s what to do for the hollandaise sauce:
- Fill the bottom of a double boiler with water, but not enough to touch the bottom of the first pan.
- Bring the water to a simmer over low to medium heat
- In the top pan, whisk the egg yolks, white pepper, salt, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, and water together, place over the pan and continue whisking for about 3 minutes.
- Next, add 8 tablespoons of butter, one tablespoon at a time, whisking until melted.
- Then add 2 T. of lemon juice, whisking it into the sauce.
- Finish adding the rest of the butter, one tablespoon at a time, and then finish adding the remaining lemon juice. You can taste the sauce and not add all of the lemon juice, which is really up to you.
- If the sauce starts to get too thick, go ahead and add more water a little at a time until the sauce is creamy.
- Put a lid on the pan and remove it from heat while you prepare eggs Benedict
For the Benedict:
- Slice and toast the English muffins, spread with butter
- While the English muffins are toasting, brown the Canadian bacon in a skillet over medium heat.
- Poaching the eggs. There are several methods to poach eggs. I have a nonstick insert for my skillet that poaches 4 eggs at once. You could also poach the eggs in vinegar and water or use 6-ounce custard cups in a water bath.
- I put water in a skillet for the insert, just enough so it doesn’t boil up into the insert, and get the eggs cups wet. I carefully crack the eggs into the cups and cook for about 5 minutes or less. Just so the yolk is still runny, but the whites are not.
- For the custard cups. Use a straight-sided skillet, place the custard cups in the skillet and add enough water to cover at least 1/4 inch of the custard cup. Carefully crack the eggs into the custard cup and cook for about 5 minutes.
- For the water method, boil enough water for the eggs to float in. Add a teaspoon of vinegar, which helps the eggs stay together better, and you won’t really taste it. Drop the eggs into the boiling water carefully, so they don’t break, and so they stay somewhat together. Cook for about 2-1/2 to 3 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon.
Time to assemble:
You’ll have two slices or one entire English muffin for one serving. Place muffins on a plate, top each with a slice of Canadian Bacon, then a poached egg on each. Drizzle with hollandaise sauce and sprinkle with paprika.
We like having asparagus drizzled with hollandaise sauce or even fried potatoes are good with eggs Benedict.
Serve warm and enjoy!
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