Coddled Eggs - Retro Food For Modern Times (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between coddled and shirred eggs? ›

Unlike French oeufs en cocotte or coddled eggs, shirred eggs are not baked immersed in a water bath. These days, “shirred eggs” is used to name any eggs baked this way, usually with a bit of butter and cream, and served in the baking dish.

It's similar to a poached egg. The difference between a coddled egg and a poached egg is that a poached egg is made by cooking the egg directly in the cooking liquid, whereas a coddled egg is cooked in a small dish (usually a small ramekin) instead.

An uncracked or “whole coddled egg” is an uncracked egg gently cooked in boiling water for a very short amount of time to reduce or eliminate bacteria. This type of coddled egg is commonly used for homemade mayo, dressings, and sauce where a raw egg is called for.

The usual method for coddling eggs is to place them into a pot of simmering water, where they steam until set. We add the filled ramekins to the pot and then pour boiling water around them.

A traditional French dish, oeufs en cocotte (or coddled eggs) makes for an elegant and nourishing breakfast, brunch, lunch or starter.

Serve coddled eggs plain or top them with minced herbs like chives or basil, crumbled bacon, minced onion, or diced tomato after cooking. (You can also add any of these components to the vessel before cracking in the egg, if desired.)

synonyms: boiled egg. types: hard-boiled egg, hard-cooked egg.

To coddle an egg without a coddler, start by bringing a pot of water to a simmer. Place the egg in a heatproof bowl and carefully pour the hot water over the egg until it's submerged. Cover the bowl with a lid and let the egg sit in the hot water for about 5-7 minutes, depending on how runny you want the yolk.

Although few studies have been conducted on how many eggs are healthy to have on a daily basis, eating 1-2 eggs a day appears to be safe for healthy adults. If you have heart disease, high cholesterol, or diabetes, however, you should watch your overall cholesterol and saturated fat intake.

To use, you would crack an egg into the coddler, screw the top on and then place it into a pot with water to cook. It's a very simple process to coddle eggs and the results are delicious, especially when serves with warm buttery toast.

Who invented coddled eggs? ›

The truth is that coddled eggs have a somewhat cloudy history. According to Royal Worcester, a centuries-old British porcelain producer famed for its egg coddlers, there's no record of who exactly invented the technique. All we know is that by the late 1800s, coddled eggs were a popular dish found across Europe.

According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, eggs should be cooked until both the white and the yolk are firm, and the water temperature should be 74–82 °C (165–180 °F).

What better way to start your morning than with a spread of coddled eggs in Mason jars, wafting the smell of cream, bacon, and caramelized onion around your kitchen? Unlike poached eggs, which are cooked directly in a liquid, coddled eggs are cooked in individual vessels or jars.

Shirred eggs is an egg dish related to coddled eggs but more working-class. There is no fussy water bath to contend with, and adding other ingredients means you're more focused on flavor than texture. Eggs are cracked into a ramekin with toppings like cheese, herbs, and cream, then baked until set.

Yolk. The yolk, or yellow portion, of an egg makes up about 34% of the liquid weight of the egg. It contains all of the fat in the egg and a little less than half of the protein. The yolk of a large egg contains about 55 calories.

Shirred eggs are eggs that have been baked in a gratin dish with a flat bottom. Traditionally, they have been cooked in a dish called a shirrer, from which the dish gets its name, but the name now applies regardless of the type of dish in which they are baked.

Scrambled eggs are usually made by whisking eggs, sometimes with a little cream or water and black pepper then sautéing them in a pan until soft curds form. Shirred eggs are cracked into ramekins, topped with a little cream, baked, and then commonly topped with chives, parm, and sometimes, bacon!

Each results in a slightly different experience: over-easy eggs have a really runny yolk perfect for dipping and sunny-side-up eggs have a slightly more set yolk better suited for sandwiches.

transitive verb. 1. : to cook (something, such as eggs) in liquid slowly and gently just below the boiling point. coddled the eggs for the Caesar salad.