How to Pasteurize Eggs at Home

Step 1

Combine the eggs and liquid or sugar: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine as many eggs as you need in your recipe with 1/4 cup water or liquid from the recipe per egg. (For example, if you’re making our Caesar salad dressing, which calls for 2 whole eggs, you’d need to add a total of 1/2 cup liquid. Of that, 1/4 cup can be the lemon juice called for in the recipe.) Cook over low heat until the mixture reaches 160°F: Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture registers 160°F on an instant-read or candy thermometer. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pan with a silicone spatula the entire time. You don’t want to beat in air—just gently stir to keep it moving so the eggs don’t start to coagulate. Cool if necessary, then use immediately: Once your eggs reach 160°F, either use the eggs right then (for heated recipes) or place the saucepan in a bowl of ice water and stir until the mixture is cool (for uncooked recipes). Use the pasteurized egg mixture immediately; it cannot be made ahead of time.

Step 2

Combine the eggs and liquid or sugar: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine as many yolks as you need in your recipe with 2 tablespoons water, sugar, or liquid from the recipe per egg. (For example, in our Hollandaise sauce, which calls for 3 egg yolks, you can add the tablespoon each of lemon juice and water called for in the recipe, plus an additional 4 tablespoons.) Cook over low heat until the mixture reaches 160°F: Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the yolk mixture coats a metal spoon with a thin film, bubbles at the edges or reaches 160°F. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pan with a silicone spatula the entire time. You don’t want to beat in air—just gently stir to keep it moving so the eggs don’t start to coagulate. Annika Panikker Cool if necessary, then use immediately: Once your eggs reach 160°F, either use the eggs right then (for heated recipes) or place the saucepan in a bowl of ice water and stir until the mixture is cool (for uncooked recipes). Use the pasteurized egg mixture immediately; it cannot be made ahead of time.

Step 3

Combine the eggs and liquid or sugar: Bring a large pan saucepan of water to a boil. While you wait, combine as many whites as you need into a heatproof bowl, along with either 2 tablespoons sugar per egg white (OR 1 teaspoon water per egg white and 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar per every 2 egg whites). Cook over the pan of water until the mixture reaches 160°F: Cook over the simmering water, stirring constantly, until the mixture registers 160°F on an instant-read or candy thermometer. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pan with a silicone spatula the entire time. You don’t want to beat in air—just gently stir to keep it moving so the eggs don’t start to coagulate. Alison Bickel Cool if necessary, then use immediately: Once your eggs reach 160°F, either use the eggs right then (for heated recipes) or place the saucepan in a bowl of ice water and stir until the mixture is cool (for uncooked recipes). Use the pasteurized egg mixture immediately; it cannot be made ahead of time.