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Breakfast · Pork

Eggs Benedict

Toasted English muffins topped with ham, a poached egg and hollandaise. Delmonico’s chef printed it in 1894 as “Eggs à la Benedick.”

⏱ 35 min (10 min prep, 25 min cooking) 🍽 Serves 4 · 2 halves

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ContainsMilk, Eggs, Wheat. Check the labels on what you buy; brands differ.

Ingredients

Make 4 servings

  • Hollandaise

  • 3 Egg yolks
  • 1 tbsp Lemon juice (bottled)
  • ½ cup Butter, unsalted, melted and kept warm
  • ¼ tsp Table salt
  • 1 pinch Cayenne pepper (optional)

  • Eggs and muffins

  • 4 English muffins, split
  • 8 slice Sliced ham (deli), thick-sliced cooked ham or Canadian bacon
  • 1 tbsp White vinegar
  • 8 Eggs, large, very fresh

Make it yourself

Make the butter yourself → Make the english muffins yourself →

In the planner, Make it on the shopping list swaps the store item for these ingredients and puts the work on your prep day.

Nutrition

Nutrition coming: the USDA numbers for these ingredients are being added.

📜 Where it comes from

Charles Ranhofer (1836–1899), Delmonico’s, New York (chef 1862–1876 and 1879–1896).

The Epicurean (New York: Charles Ranhofer, 1894), No. 2925, p. 858: “Eggs à la Benedick”.

“Cut some muffins in halves crosswise, toast them without allowing to brown, then place a round of cooked ham an eighth of an inch thick and of the same diameter as the muffins on each half. Heat in a moderate oven and put a poached egg on each toast. Cover the whole with Hollandaise sauce.”

The original text, quoted as printed; it is in the public domain.

Two main stories compete. One says Ranhofer made it at Delmonico’s for regular customers, Mr. and Mrs. LeGrand Benedict. The other says a stockbroker, Lemuel Benedict, ordered something like it at the Waldorf in 1894 and the hotel added it to the menu. Ranhofer’s book has the earliest printed recipe.

What we changed: Measurements, times and the 160°F hollandaise are ours.

Delmonico’s closed in 1923, before Michelin awarded its first stars (1926), so no star ratings apply.

Internet Archive scanHathiTrust recordCharles RanhoferEggs BenedictMore from the great kitchens →

Steps

You’ll need: deep skillet or saucepan (for poaching), slotted spoon, heatproof bowl over a saucepan, whisk, instant-read thermometer, baking sheet.

  1. Make the hollandaise: in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, whisk the yolks, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon water constantly until thick and foamy and they reach 160°F. Off the heat, whisk in the warm butter in a thin stream, then the salt and cayenne. Keep it in a warm spot.
  2. Heat the oven to 200°F. Toast the muffin halves lightly, top each with ham, and keep them warm on the baking sheet in the oven.
  3. Bring 3 inches of water and the vinegar to a gentle simmer in the deep skillet. Crack each egg into a cup and slide it in. Poach 4 to 5 minutes, until the whites are completely set and the yolks have begun to thicken. USDA advises cooking eggs until both the yolk and white are firm; for runny yolks, use pasteurized eggs.
  4. Lift the eggs out with the slotted spoon, drain them on a towel, and set one on each muffin. Spoon hollandaise over and serve.

🌡 Safe temperaturesEgg-yolk sauces 160°F. Check the thickest part with a food thermometer (USDA). More on food safety.

Make aheadPoach the eggs ahead, chill them in ice water, and refrigerate up to 1 day; rewarm in simmering water 1 minute.
🧒 With kidsFor kids, cook the eggs until the yolks are firm and serve the sauce on the side.
Gluten-free swapUse gluten-free English muffins.
Meatless swapUse sautéed spinach or sliced tomato instead of ham (eggs Florentine).

Good to know

Cooking Fats Compared Salted vs. unsalted butter Table salt vs. kosher salt vs. sea salt Food Safety Basics

Our own adaptation of a public-domain recipe, in our own words. Nutrition is estimated from USDA FoodData Central and changes with brands and portions.