Eggs Benedict
25 min
|
intermediate
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
A proper Eggs Benedict is a New York brunch icon: toasted English muffins, Canadian bacon, runny poached eggs, and a silky lemon hollandaise with a kiss of smoked paprika.
Make it for Mother's Day or a lazy Sunday flex, because it is rich, savory, and seriously satisfying without being fussy.
Ingredients (2 servings)
Get Ingredients →Order the ingredients from your local store for pickup or delivery. You’ll check out through Instacart.
For the Poached Eggs:
- 4 large eggs large eggs 4 ct
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar white vinegar 0.5 fl oz
- water (for poaching) water
Ingredients for the Hollandaise Sauce:
- 3 large egg yolks large eggs 3 ct (for large egg yolks)
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice lemon 0.33 ct (for fresh lemon juice)
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted unsalted butter 4 oz
- pinch smoked paprika smoked paprika 0 oz
- salt (to taste) salt
Ingredients for Assembly:
- 2 English muffins, split, toasted English muffins 2 ct
- 8 slices Canadian bacon Canadian bacon 11.94 oz
- freshly ground black pepper (for garnish) black peppercorns (for freshly ground black pepper)
How to Make Eggs Benedict
-
Set up the poaching bath
Fill a wide saucepan with 3 inches of water, add the vinegar, and bring it to a bare simmer where small bubbles lazily break the surface.
Keep the heat low so the water never boils hard or your egg whites will fray.
-
Make the hollandaise
Melt the butter until hot and fully liquid, keeping the milk solids if using regular butter.
In a heatproof bowl or blender cup, combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, a generous pinch of salt, and the smoked paprika.
If whisking by hand, set the bowl over barely simmering water and whisk constantly while streaming in the hot butter until thick and glossy.
If using an immersion blender, blend the yolk mixture for 5 seconds, then with the blender running, slowly stream in the hot butter until emulsified and smooth.
Adjust salt and lemon to taste and keep the sauce warm near the stove or in an insulated mug so it stays pourable but never hot enough to scramble.
-
Toast muffins and sear bacon
Split and toast the English muffins until deeply golden so they stand up to the sauce.
Sear the Canadian bacon in a hot skillet until the edges caramelize and the centers are heated through, then keep warm.
-
Poach the eggs
Crack each egg into a small cup and, for the neatest look, strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove watery whites before sliding back into the cup.
Swirl the simmering water into a gentle vortex and slip in the eggs one by one, cooking 3 to 4 minutes for runny yolks or a bit longer for firmer centers.
Lift out with a slotted spoon, drain well on paper towels, and trim any wispy edges with a knife if you want restaurant-clean ovals.
-
Assemble and serve
Set two slices of Canadian bacon on each muffin half, crown with a poached egg, and spoon over warm hollandaise.
Finish with freshly ground black pepper and a tiny extra pinch of smoked paprika if you like a little flare.
Substitutions
- Canadian bacon -> smoked salmon
- Smoked salmon brings a silky, briny richness that pairs beautifully with lemony hollandaise while keeping the texture delicate and brunch-lux.
- Butter -> ghee
- Ghee gives a deeper, nuttier flavor and makes the hollandaise more stable because the water and milk solids are removed, yielding a silkier, glossier sauce.
- English muffins -> crispy hash brown patties
- A shattering potato crust adds salty crunch and a fun diner vibe, and the starchy base soaks up hollandaise without going soggy if you cook the patties until deeply golden.
Tips
- Warm your emulsion tools
- Warm the bowl or blender cup with hot water and dry it before making hollandaise so the sauce starts emulsifying fast and stays fluid without overheating the yolks.
- Thin or thicken with control
- If the hollandaise gets too thick, whisk in a teaspoon of warm water or lemon juice, and if it is too thin, blend in a bit more hot butter to tighten it up.
- Strain the eggs for clean poaches
- Pour each raw egg into a fine mesh strainer to remove the loose white that causes flyaway wisps, then transfer to a cup for an easy slide into the water.
- Hold poached eggs like a pro
- Poach eggs up to 24 hours ahead, chill in ice water, and rewarm for 30 to 45 seconds in hot water just before serving so brunch timing is stress-free.
- Keep the water gentle
- Simmering water with visible movement but no big bubbles keeps the whites hugging the yolks, which gives you that tight teardrop shape instead of feathery frizz.
- Sauce safety and warmth
- Keep hollandaise warm around 140 to 150 F in an insulated mug or over barely warm water so it stays safe and pourable without splitting.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 505 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 34 | g |
| Total Fat | 34 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 15 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My hollandaise broke and looks oily, what do I do?
- Whisk a fresh egg yolk with a teaspoon of warm water in a clean bowl, then slowly drizzle in the broken sauce while whisking to rebuild the emulsion.
- How do I stop egg whites from spreading everywhere when poaching?
- Use the strainer trick to remove the watery portion of the whites, make sure the water is just simmering, and add a gentle swirl before sliding the egg in for a tidy wrap.
- Can I make hollandaise in a blender without it tasting flat?
- Yes, but season aggressively with salt and lemon and finish with a pinch of smoked paprika so the flavor stands up to the rich butter.
- How can I prep this for a crowd without losing quality?
- Poach eggs ahead and chill, toast muffins and sear bacon in batches, hold hollandaise warm in a thermos, and assemble to order so everything lands hot and perfect.
- What if I do not want vinegar in the poaching water?
- Skip it and rely on straining and gentle water movement, though a small splash of lemon juice works similarly if you want a bit of help with coagulation.
- How do I know when the eggs are poached just right?
- Lift one with a slotted spoon and gently nudge the white for firmness and the yolk for jiggle, and pull at 3 to 4 minutes for runny or closer to 5 minutes for medium.
Serving Suggestions
Brunch gets that New York swagger with a handful of chopped chives or tarragon over the top and a dash of hot sauce for kick that cuts the richness in all the right ways.
If you want to flex, swap the Canadian bacon for a crab cake or add a quick layer of garlicky sauteed spinach for a Florentine twist, then pour a crisp cava to keep the party bright.
More pairings:
Reviews
We haven’t received any feedback on this recipe yet.
Made this recipe? How did it go?
Please leave your feedback below. We’d love to hear from you!
