How to Make Raw Eggs Safe to Eat: Best Methods to Reduce Risk of Salmonella
Have you saved tons of recipes that use raw eggs but are concerned about the risk of salmonella? This recipe teaches you how to safely pasteurize eggs at home, ensuring they’re Salmonella-free and safe for raw dishes. By gently heating eggs in water at 57°C (135°F) for 75 minutes, you can enjoy the peace of mind knowing your eggs are safe to use in recipes like homemade mayo, soy sauce cured egg yolks, or Japanese raw egg rice.
Yield: 4 eggs
Equipment
- 1 Electric double boiler with temperature control (Or a sous vide machine, or a pot with a thermometer for manual control.)
Materials
- 4 Fresh, high-quality eggs
- 1 drop dish soap
- Water
Instructions
Wash the Eggs (Optional but Recommended)
- Add a tiny drop of mild dish soap to your hands or a soft sponge. Gently scrub the eggshell to remove dirt or contaminants. Rinse very well under warm running water to remove all soap.
- Tip: Many commercial eggs are already washed before packaging, so additional washing may not be necessary unless they look dirty. If your eggs are fresh from a farm, washing them before pasteurization is a good idea.
Pasteurize the Eggs
- Fill a pot or sous vide container with enough water to fully submerge the eggs. Set the Sous Vide Machine temperature to 57°C (135°F). If your double boiler or kettle can only set temperature to 60°C (140°F), that will also work. If using a thermometer, heat the water on the stove and monitor closely to maintain this temperature between 57°C to 60°C.
- Gently place whole eggs (in their shells) into the water. Make sure the eggs are fully submerged and not touching the heat source. If using a sous vide machine, ensure the eggs don't touch the heating tube. For a kettle or stovetop boil, use a double boiler to prevent the eggs from directly touching the hot bottom of the pot or kettle. Direct contact with the heat can cause uneven heating and cause the egg whites to begin setting.
- Keep the water temperature at 57°C (135°F) for 75 minutes.
- Once 75 minutes have passed, immediately remove the eggs from the boiler. Now your eggs are Salmonella-free and safe to use in raw recipes.
How to Store Pasteurized Eggs:
- If not using immediately after boiling, place the eggs in an ice water bath to cool them rapidly and stop further heating. Let them sit in the ice water for 5–10 minutes.
- Once cooled, gently dry the eggs with kitchen paper. Wrap each egg individually in plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator immediately. Keep them in the coldest part of the fridge, typically near the back.
- Pasteurized eggs are best consumed within 3 days for optimal freshness and quality.
- Note: egg shells have a natural protective coating called the bloom. This thin, waxy layer helps to seal the pores in the eggshell, preventing bacteria and other contaminants from entering. Since we have washed off the bloom before pasteurizing, it's important to wrap our homemade pasteurized eggs in plastic wrap when storing them in the fridge to protect them from bacteria until they're ready to be used.