Ham and Eggs Benedict

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An absolute staple of the brunch scene. An iconic dish in all walks of life. We’re of course talking about none other than the amazing Ham and Eggs Benedict. Beautifully Poached Eggs sitting atop some beautiful smoked Ham and crispy English Muffins and drenched in a creamy Hollandaise Sauce. It’s a show stopping dish at brunch spots all around the world and can be made right now, by you, at home!

We have two separate techniques to make perfectly Poached Eggs

You can’t have a Ham and Eggs Benedict meal without Poached Eggs. Alongside Hollandaise Sauce, the Poached Eggs are the cornerstone to an Eggs Benedict, so you’ve gotta nail them! The good news for you all is they are easy to make!

Poaching Eggs must be one of the more intimidating ways to prepare Eggs, but there really is no reason. It does require a few extra steps and a little bit of technique, however. Which may be why many people veer away from Poaching their Eggs in favor of the more favored Fried and Scrambled Versions. Looks, we love our Eggs anyway you can make them, so we’ve got two different methods to Poach Eggs. Both will produce perfect Poached Eggs, and everyone can do it!

1. The traditional method of creating a whirlpool in the Saucepan

This is the method most people would be familiar with. To help the Eggs maintain their shape when being added to hot water, you need to create a whirlpool in the pan. Then, place the Egg in the middle of the whirlpool which keeps the Eggs centered, and allows all the Egg Whites to begin to wrap around the Egg

This technique ensures the Egg keeps its beautiful shape and doesn’t melt out all over the saucepan as you cook it. Creating the whirlpool is simple too. Just use whatever kitchen utensil you have handy, such as the back of a knife or spoon and swirl the water quickly in one circular motion. This will create a whirlpool that allows you to drop the egg in the center

Think of this technique similar to what you used to do as a kid in the pool. Remember getting a bunch of kids together and running in a circular motion to create a whirlpool? It’s exactly the same thing, however on a much smaller scale and doesn’t require kids jumping into the hot water!

2. Gradually introduce Egg to the hot water via a separate bowl or container

This method is great because it doesn’t require you to create a whirlpool when Poaching Eggs. So, if you’re planning on poaching more than 1 Egg in the Saucepan at once, we’d recommend this method

What you need to do is crack the Egg into a separate bowl or container, such as a ramekin or pouring jug. Basically, you want the Egg to be in a container that be dipped into the hot water without you burning your hands

The technique here is slowly dip the container that is holding the Egg into the hot water. Allow some of the Water to come into the container but keep the Egg in it. The hot water will begin to cook the Egg and it will start to turn white, forming it’s shape. After about 20 – 30 seconds of this, carefully drop the Egg fully into the water

The Egg will have already formed its shape, so it will be safe to place into the water. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes and then it will be perfect. This is a great technique however requires that you have the appropriate container to do so, given you’ll be holding your hands pretty close to that hot water

Should you add Vinegar into the Water before Poaching Eggs?

We’ve found adding Vinegar is not at all necessary when Poaching Eggs. It doesn’t impact the way the Eggs form if you are using either of the above techniques. It also has no impact on flavor, as adding Vinegar to water is typically in such low quantities. So, you can definitely add Vinegar if you like, however there really is no need. Save that Vinegar for adding it to some tasty Fish and Chips instead!

If you’ve got a lot of spare Eggs, this is the recipe for you!

Making Ham and Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce is a great recipe if you’re sitting on a surplus of Eggs. Hollandaise is almost exclusively made of Egg. Well, Egg Yolks to be precise. Plus a lot of Butter, which just makes it even better!

For our Hollandaise recipe you will need 4 Egg Yolks, but this will be enough Hollandaise Sauce to easily make 4 generous servings of Ham and Eggs Benedict. We’d recommend you stick to the quantities as they will produce the best results for your Hollandaise Sauce, even if you’re not planning on eating that much. It can refrigerate for 24 hours, so you can always make some more the next day

We recommend serving 2 Poached Eggs for each plate you are making. So, if you’re preparing the Eggs Benedict for 2 people, Poach 4 eggs. Along with the delicious English Muffins, Ham, and Hollandaise sauce – this will be a hearty breakfast or brunch

For the best and easiest Hollandaise Sauce, make it in the Blender!

That’s right! There’s no need for bain-maries or any kind of cheffy techniques for this Hollandaise Sauce. Simple measure out your ingredients correctly, then add them to the blender for the smoothest, tastiest Homemade Hollandaise Sauce

We love our Hollandaise Sauce here at Dinnertime Somewhere, especially when it’s as simple as whacking it in the blender to make! In fact, we’ve written a whole article about the benefits of making your own Hollandaise Sauce this way. Check out our Hollandaise Sauce in a Blender Recipe for all of the specifics on how to make this wonderful sauce

The good news is we’ve also got the details below on how you make it. There’s really not much to it though. Add the Eggs, Salt, and Lemon Juice to the blender and set it on low. After about 30 seconds, slowly pour in your melted Butter and in no time at all you’ve make perfect Hollandaise Sauce

Ham and Eggs Benedict Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 Eggs (4 Egg Yolks for Hollandaise, 4 for Poaching)
• 2 English Muffins, sliced in half
• 2 large pieces of Ham, halved
• 1 tbsp. Lemon Juice
• ¼ tsp. Smoked Paprika
• 5 oz. / 140g Unsalted Butter, Melted & warm
• Salt and Pepper
  
  

Equipment Needed: Blender or Immersion Blender

Instructions

1. Place a medium sized Saucepan over medium heat and fill at least halfway full so the Eggs will easily be fully submerged once added
2. Bring the Water to the point that it is just about to boil, where small bubbles are beginning to form around the edges. You don’t want the water to fully boil when adding Eggs, so if it begins to boil, remove from heat
3. Crack each egg individually into a small ramekin or sauce jug and then slowly submerge it slightly into the hot water, so that the water comes into the Ramekin. Hold in place for 20 – 30 seconds so the Egg begins to cook and turn white
4. After 30 seconds, slowly pour the entire Egg into the water. Repeat this process for the remaining eggs, remembering which Egg you placed in first so you know which to remove first
5. Cook the Eggs for 2 ½ minutes, being careful not to boil the water while doing so. Once cooked, remove Eggs with a ladle with holes in it and place the Eggs on some Paper towels to dry
   
   

To make the Hollandaise Sauce

6. Add the Egg Yolks, Lemon Juice, and ½ tsp. of Salt in the blender and blend on low for 30 seconds until the mixture has combined and started to lighten in color
7. Slowly pour the Melted Butter into the blender with it continuing to blend on low. Once the Butter has been poured in, continue to blend on low for another 20 – 30 seconds. Pour the Hollandaise into a small bowl or sauce jug for serving
   
   

Assembling the Ham and Eggs Benedict

8. Toast your English Muffins so they are a light golden-brown and crispy. Butter the bread (optional), then place a slice of Ham on each slice. Carefully place a Poached Egg on top of the Ham and drizzle with a generous amount of Hollandaise Sauce
9. Finish with a sprinkling of Salt and a dash of the Smoked Paprika. Serve with more Hollandaise Sauce on the side in a sauce jug
   
   

We hope you’ve enjoyed this delicious Ham and Eggs Benedict recipe, complete with homemade Hollandaise Sauce that you’ve made in the blender! Here are a few of our favorite dishes that are perfect for a hearty Breakfast or Brunch:

• Easy Crepes Recipe
• The Best Homemade Bacon Egg and Cheese
• Spicy Harissa Shakshuka
• The Best Steak Sandwich
• Classic Bruschetta
• Perfect Scrambled Eggs
  
  

Happy Cooking!