Pasteurizing eggs at home in this day and age is very easy if you have a sous vide cooker immersion circulator, a.k.a sous vide stick. Or a sous vide setting on your multifunctional pressure cooker. Today I’m using my power quick pot, which is a multifunctional electric pressure cooker.
I have a quirky relationship with eggs. I really do like eggs, but I don’t trust them if they are not thoroughly cooked, because of the potential for contracting food poisoning. Which is why I don’t eat mousse, caesars salad, meringue etc. unless I make it myself.
Why would you choose to pasteurize your eggs? Primarily for food safety. Eggs are renown for carrying salmonella, which is a bacterial pathogen that can create foodborne illnesses and diseases that have the potential to be life threatening.
What Does Pasteurization Do?
Pasteurization doesn’t cook the eggs; it just kills the salmonella bacteria that can cause foodborne illnesses. In fact, the eggs are still raw after the process.
Pasteurized And Pasture Raised
There is a difference between pasteurized and pasture raised eggs. Pasture raised means that the chickens are free to roam the range and forage for food and grow naturally. In short, they are not raised in battery farming conditions. Pasteurization of eggs means that they have been put through a mechanically heated process that kills bacteria and viruses.
USDA
It’s important to note that, “in accordance with USDA regulations, all eggs being sold must be pasteurized.” I find that interesting, because some of the continuing issues that this industry has regarding foodborne illnesses associated with people eating eggs, makes me wonder about the veracity of their pasteurization practices.
How To Pasteurize Eggs
Whether eggs are pasteurized commercially or at home the process is the same. Eggs must be completely immersed into a temperature controlled water bath for a set period of time. The time and the temperature of the water will kill any bacteria and viruses the cause foodborne illnesses. The temperature of the water cannot be too hot nor too cold. If the temperature is too cold the pasteurization process will fail to kill all bacteria and viruses. If the water temperature is too hot, you’ll kill the bacteria and viruses, and you’ll also get boiled eggs.
Water Temperature And Time
We are going to use a water temperature of 135°F for 75 minutes. On completion of the processing time the eggs will be plunged into an ice water bath and remain there until they are cold, 20-30 minutes. This is to stop the heating process. Note that the water temperature of 135°F is a constant from start to finish. Fluctuations in water temperature may cause inconsistent results, meaning your pasteurization may fail.
Pasteurization Of Eggs
Pasteurization doesn’t cook the eggs, they are still raw, but safe from salmonella and other viruses that are known causes of foodborne illnesses. That being said, they are still raw.
Please note: * Eating raw or undercooked food is associated with increased risk of foodborne illness.
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