For The Jammiest Egg Yolks, Give Them The Confit Treatment

For many of us eggheads, there's a certain jamminess we're always chasing when making eggs at home. Maybe you've had the perfect eggs at a fancy restaurant, and ever since, you've wondered how the yolk was so extra buttery, velvety, and lush. Well, wonder no more — we've got the simple secret to gorgeously jammy eggs every time. 

As it turns out, eggs are one of the best foods for the confit method. The confit process entails cooking something in fat at a low temperature. It was developed as a preservation method — "confit" is from the French term "confire," or "to preserve." Heating something slowly at low temperatures in a liquid like oil or syrup that inhibits bacterial growth means you can then keep it for days, weeks, or months, depending on what it is and how you store it. But this method also does something beautiful to food's texture. As the fat takes its time cooking food at that lower heat, it tenderizes that food. That means melt-in-your-mouth meat or soft, creamy, rich egg yolks.

To confit your eggs, preheat your oven to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Separate your eggs' yolks from their whites and put the yolks in a baking dish. Cover them with olive oil, then place that dish in a bigger one and fill that outer dish about halfway with boiling water. Bake them for about an hour and 15 minutes, starting to check them at the hour mark for your preferred level of jamminess.

There are some key mistakes to avoid with confit eggs. Don't rush the confit method with higher temperatures, as then you'll just get a drier, firmer yolk. Take care when separating your egg yolks and whites, as a cracked yolk won't get nice and jammy. Ensure the yolks are fully covered by the olive oil, and keep checking them as they cook to find that sweet spot between runny and firm.

Once you nail your confit eggs, have fun with flavors. Swap out the olive oil for sesame oil to introduce nutty richness, or use an infused oil to contribute any flavor you love, like truffle, rosemary, or spicy chili pepper. Flaky sea salt, black pepper, and garlic are classic confit egg seasonings, and you can even confit your garlic to double down on jamminess. Get creative with red pepper flakes or gochugaru, smoked paprika, thyme, basil, furikake, diced onions or chives, shaved parmesan cheese, and lemon zest. 

From spicy to herbaceous to umami, there are so many possibilities; it really depends on how you'll be enjoying your jammy eggs. They're a guaranteed hit on toasted, crusty bread — add avocado, ricotta, crisp veggies, or tangy pickled ones. They're a dreamy topping for salads, pastas, and grain bowls, too. It's especially easy to play around with confit eggs' versatility from dish to dish because they store well. Keep them in their oil in an airtight container, where they'll last for five days refrigerated.