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Artisanal Eggs Benedict

Artisanal Eggs Benedict

No dish says brunch better than Eggs Benedict.  A world-renowned classic that is timeless.  I find the only way to make it better is to simply make it artisanal.



To assemble dish, place one heaping tablespoon of the hollandaise in the center of warm plates.  Using the spoon, make a little well for the English muffin; top with Canadian bacon; then top with 2 eggs each.  Garnish with fresh chives or chervil.


Category: Breakfast

Serving Size: 8

Canadian Bacon

No dish says brunch better than Eggs Benedict.  A world-renowned classic that is timeless.  I find the only way to make it better is to simply make it artisanal.



To assemble dish, place one heaping tablespoon of the hollandaise in the center of warm plates.  Using the spoon, make a little well for the English muffin; top with Canadian bacon; then top with 2 eggs each.  Garnish with fresh chives or chervil.


Ingredients

  • 4 cups warm tap water

  • 3 cloves garlic (crushed with the side of a knife)

  • ¼ teaspoon dried red chili flake

  • ½ teaspoon black peppercorns

  • ½ teaspoon coffee grinds

  • 1/8 teaspoon pink curing salt

  • ¼ cup kosher salt

  • ½ cup dark brown sugar

  • 1 ½ pounds to 2 pounds pork tenderloin (trimmed off silverskin)

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil

Instructions

Using a large bowl, whisk together water, garlic, chili flake, peppercorns, coffee grinds, pink salt, kosher salt, and brown sugar together until sugar and salt is dissolved.  Pour liquid into a rectangular pan that is deep enough to keep tenderloin submerged such as a loaf pan. Add trimmed tenderloin to the pan, cover with plastic wrap, and keep in fridge for 48 hours.  Fire up your smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit.  Add wood chips and once it starts smoking, add pork loin.  Continue to cook until internal temp reads 145 degrees.  Remove from smoker and let rest to room temp.  Using a slicer or very sharp knife, cut into paper-thin slices.  Using a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil until smoking and quickly caramelized sliced Canadian bacon.  Reserve in warm area of kitchen for plating.



 



Note: Most people don’t know that Canadian bacon is made from the pork loin. Here I chose to use the pork tenderloin resulting in a slightly tender Canadian bacon.


English Muffins

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole milk

  • 2 Tablespoon sugar

  • 1 package active dry yeast

  • ¼ cup melted shortening

  • 6 cups all purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

  • 2 tablespoon cornmeal

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil

Instructions

Place milk in a saucepan and warm to 110degrees Fahrenheit.  Pour milk into a large mixing bowl and whisk in sugar and yeast until dissolved.  Let milk yeast mixture sit for about 10 to 15 minutes to activate yeast.  Using a wooden spoon, stir in shortening and 3 cups of the flour into the milk mixture until smooth.  Add salt and 2 ½ cups of flour and stir again until soft dough forms.  Knead until smooth.  Place into a greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled.  Punch dough down.  Use remaining flour to dust countertop.  Roll dough out to ½ inch thick on floured countertop.  Cut out rounds to 5” round size using biscuit cutter.  Sprinkle wax paper with cornmeal and set the rounds on this to rise. Dust tops of muffins with remaining cornmeal.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes.  Heat griddle to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease with canola oil.  Cook muffins for 10 minutes each side.  Let cool on wire rack for 20 minutes.  Cut in half and toast on griddle cut side down until crispy and golden brown.  Reserve in warm area of kitchen for plating.


Hollandaise Sauce

Ingredients

  • 2 cups unsalted butter, each stick cut into quarters

  • 4 large egg yolks

  • Juice of 1 lemon

  • 1 teaspoon champagne vinegar

  • ¼ teaspoon Crystal hot sauce

  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

Place the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high until the butter is completely melted, about 2 ½ minutes. Remove the butter from the microwave and let sit for a few minutes; skim off any foam that has formed on the top and discard.  Pour the clear yellow butter into another dish, avoiding any milk solids in the bottom.  This is clarified butter to use for the sauce.



In a small saucepan, combine egg yolks and vinegar. Cook over low heat, whisking the mixture briskly until mixture is thick and fluffy.  Slowly drizzle half of the clarified butter into the eggs while continuing to whisk.



Thin the sauce out with 1 tablespoon of water to prevent the sauce from getting to tight and breaking. Continue adding the remaining butter and whisking.  Add the salt, pepper, hot sauce, and lemon. You should end up with a thick and silky emulsified sauce. Cover and reserve in a warm area of your kitchen until needed.


Poached Eggs

Ingredients

  • 16 large eggs

  • 3 quarts water

  • 1 tablespoon Kosher Salt

  • 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

Instructions

Using a 4-quart saucepan, bring the water, salt and vinegar to a slow simmer.  Crack the eggs each individually into a small ramekins or small paper to-go cups.  Using a slotted spoon, stir the water into a slow moving whirlpool and drop the first eight eggs into the water one at a time.  Let the eggs cook undisturbed for about 1 ½ minutes or until white is just set and yolk is runny. Using a slotted spoon remove the eggs and place on a paper towel lined platter and repeat process with the other eggs. 



Season with fresh cracked black pepper and hold in a warm place until plating.


Cooking Measurements


1 cup = 250 ml = 16 Tablespoons

1/2 cup = 125 ml = 8 Tablespoons

1/3 cup = 83 ml = 5.3 Tablespoons

1/4 cup = 62 ml = 4 Tablespoons

1 Pinch = 1/8 Teaspoon

" Ralph Brennan honored with Ella Brennan Lifetime Achievement Award "

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