How to make soft cured egg yolk

Soft cured eggs yolks are easy to make, with a soft, gooey texture and intensified flavor.

Ok, strictly speaking, this is not a meat recipe. And usually I am all about meat recipes. I would describe this as a meat-adjacent recipe. In that, cured egg yolk pairs remarkably well with a variety of meaty vittles. Imagine it spread across a biscuit before being layered with bacon. Or, as I have done here, smeared across perfectly cooked slices of flat iron to create the ultimate steak and eggs. Pro tip – they also make an excellent addition to charcuterie boards.

So why cure egg yolks?

Well, a few reasons. In addition to preserving and prolonging the shelf life, the curing process intensifies the flavor of the yolk. And I think we can all agree that can only be a good thing. Curing the yolk also dramatically changes the texture. So, while we may like runny yolks to run all over our breakfast plate, lightly curing them allows you to experiment with their applications without suffering a deluge of egg-lava.

Soft cured egg yolks have a pretty interesting texture, actually. I would describe them as being akin to the inside of a jelly bean. Slightly chewy, rather gooey, but still incredibly unctuous.

How do I make the cured egg yolks firmer?

Most recipes for cured egg yolk call for them to be completed dehydrated, turning them into a bottarga-like substance. Once dried and hardened, they can then be shaved over finished dishes, giving them yet another dimension for use and application. Think: shaving rich cured yolks over carbonara. I prefer the soft cured as I think they are more indulgent. To get your cured eggs firmer, simply leave them in the cure for 4-5 days, then dehydrate them in a low oven for several hours or in a dehydrator.

Soft cured egg yolks can be kept in an airtight container for a few days, the firmer ones can be kept in the same way for up to a month. Best of all, soft cured yolks are SO easy to make, and are ready in just 12 hours.

Are soft cured egg yolks safe to eat?

A tricky question. Much the same as consuming shellfish or steak tartare, you do take a risk when consuming undercooked eggs. So really, you have to rely on the source of your eggs being fresh and with good food safety/handing standards along the way. If you’re concerned, I recommend further drying the egg yolks to a hard cure to also make them “safe” to consume.

How to make soft cured egg yolk

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• Author: Jess Pryles

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Ingredients

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1 cup kosher salt

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

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Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine the salt and sugar.
2. Use a deep sided airtight container, and place 2/3 of the salt mixture in the bottom. Use the back of a spoon to gently press 4 divets into the salt mix, these will hold the yolks.
3. Carefully separate the yolks from the whites, trying to get as much of the albumen (white) off the yolk. Gently place each yolk into the depression created by the spoon. You do not need the whites for this recipe, however you can freeze them in small baggies and keep them for recipes that call for whites, such as meringue.
4. Gently shake the remaining cure mix over the yolks until they are well covered. Place the lid on the container and refrigerate for 16 hours. There is nothing wrong with letting them cure longer, just realise the longer you leave them, the firmer they will get.
5. Gently remove each yolk from the salt mix, and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with a paper or shop towel and they are ready to enjoy.