Think cured egg yolks are just for restaurant kitchens? Think again. The process is simple—even if you’ve never cured anything before—and the payoff is big: a subtly salty, umami-rich boost that grates like cheese for everything from miso ramen to brothy beans, bitter greens, and avocado toast.
Got leftover yolks after a pavlova or meringues? This is the perfect way to use them. And if you end up with extra whites? Freeze them in ice cube trays for later.
Tips for making cured egg yolks
What can I use cured egg yolks for?
Shave them with a microplane over pasta, buttered toast, rice bowls, or a salad of bitter greens with crispy panko for an instant hit of richness and umami.
My oven won’t go down to 150°F. What can I do?
You can dry the yolks in a dehydrator or leave them in an unheated oven for two full days. Aim for a firm texture like Gruyère—never runny or crispy. Remove excess salt and sugar as directed before drying to keep them from being too salty.
Can I change the curing mixture?
While we recommend sticking to this ratio of salt and sugar, there are many ways you can zhush up the recipe. Add cracked spices like coriander, fennel seed, or black pepper; or massage some citrus zest into the mixture. Lay in some fresh herbs like a bay leaf or a sprig of thyme. These additions will perfume the yolks as they cure.
Recipe information
Total Time
4 days (mostly inactive)
Yield
Makes 4
Ingredients
1¾
1¼
4
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk 1¾ cups Diamond Crystal or 1 cup plus 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt and 1¼ cups sugar in a medium bowl to combine. Evenly spread out half of salt mixture in an 8x8" glass baking dish. Using the back of a tablespoon, create 4 depressions in salt mixture, spacing evenly. Carefully place 1 of 4 large egg yolks in each depression. Gently sprinkle remaining salt mixture over yolks and tightly wrap dish with plastic. Chill 4 days.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 150°F. Brush salt mixture off each yolk, then carefully rinse under cold running water to remove any remaining salt (yolks should be semi-firm, bright, and translucent). Gently pat dry with paper towels.
Step 3
Generously coat a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick vegetable oil spray; place yolks on rack. Dry out in oven until firm, opaque, and grateable—like a hard cheese (think Gruyère), 1½–2 hours. Let cool. (Alternatively, if your oven doesn’t go that low, you can dry out eggs in an unheated oven 2 days.)
Step 4
Finely grate cured egg yolks over soups, pastas, or salads as you would a hard cheese.
Do Ahead: Yolks can be cured 1 month ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and chill; grate straight from the fridge.
Editor’s note: This method for curing egg yolks was first printed in our November 2015 issue; it has been edited for clarity and style. Head this way for our favorite to use leftover egg whites →