All work and no play at TEN7? No way! Today we chatted about cured egg yolks. Sometimes you see a TikTok recipe, and you just HAVE TO try it. And then share your experiment with your coworkers, of course. Maybe you’ll be inspired to make these too?
I admit, I didn’t need much of a push, as I have a background in the food industry. I began my culinary career by cooking at the beloved Glockenspiel in St. Paul and had the pleasure of training under Chef Donald Gonzalez while cooking at another former St. Paul treasure - Forepaugh’s Restaurant (RIP to both). I’ve cooked many an egg in my day, but had never tried, let alone heard of cured egg yolks.
After doing a little bit of further research, I was intrigued to learn that multiple Asian and European cultures have been preparing this delicacy for thousands of years, mostly for preservation. It’s essentially a savory condiment, similar to a good parmesan, that you grate over the top of your food.
What I Learned
- A little goes a long way, so even one or two egg yolks is a substantial amount. I made six and gave four away to friends. :) Some recipes include sugar, but I didn’t bother with it. It’s not necessary, and will make your yolks slightly sweet. I wanted an umami bomb!
- You can add any sort of flavorings, in the form of herbs and spices. I went with rosemary and black peppercorns. The flavor definitely comes through! It’s interesting how the flavors permeate the salt over time. Whole spices work best, but I didn’t have any fresh rosemary so I used ground. I mixed it into the salt, and it worked great. I probably added two TB, or would have used three to five sprigs of fresh rosemary. I used a palmful of peppercorns.
- Cured yolks will keep in the fridge for a month or longer when stored in an airtight container.
- So far, I’ve tried it on tomato toast, avocado toast, pasta and on top of breakfast hash. The toasts definitely have vegetarian BLT vibes!
Here’s the recipe.
Ingredients
- 6-12 large eggs
- 1 pound of kosher salt (you really just need enough to fully cover all of the yolks in your container; I recommend the flaky Diamond Kosher Salt)
- Whatever herbs and spices you want to add
Directions
- Place 2/3 of the salt in the bottom of a container with a footprint large enough that the yolks won’t touch each other, or the sides of the container
- Mix in any seasonings
- Use a spoon to create little wells in the salt for each of the yolks to sit
- Carefully crack the eggs one at a time, separate yolks from whites, and transfer yolks to indentations in the salt bed. Save those egg whites for something else (which also freeze well, FYI)
- Pour the rest of the salt over the yolks so they are fully covered. Cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 5-6 days
- After 5-6 days, preheat the oven to 180° (or your oven’s lowest setting, usually 200° or less). Carefully remove yolks from salt, brush off excess, and rinse them gently in water. Pat dry with a paper towel, and set yolks on a sheet of parchment on a sheet tray with a rack, spaced out so they aren’t touching
- Bake for an hour, until yolks are dry to the touch
- Grate or thinly slice yolks to enjoy!
We’ll be excited to hear how it goes for you and if you like it – please share if you try it!
