Recipe

Bonito and Black Pepper–Cured Egg Yolks

by Tim Chin

The process of turning bland raw egg yolks into savory, grate-able cured yolks couldn’t be simpler: Separate yolks, pack in salt and seasonings, wait, rinse, dry in the oven, and use. Adding savory bonito flakes and plenty of spicy black pepper to our classic Salt-Cured Egg Yolks recipe elevates these cured yolks to luxurious levels. Bonito flakes, one of the two primary ingredients in Japanese dashi broth, pack these yolks with supersavory glutamic acid, boosting them pretty high up on the umami scale. Just as with an aged hard cheese, grating these yolks on top of soups, salads, pastas, and meats quickly adds seasoning and umami.

Photography by Steve Klise
Food Styling by Kendra McKnight

Yield
12 yolks
Ingredients
450 g kosher salt
450 g sugar
30 g black peppercorns, ground fine in a spice grinder
30 g bonito flakes
660 g eggs (12 large eggs)
1 pound kosher salt
1 pound sugar
3 tablespoons black peppercorns, ground fine in a spice grinder
1 ounce bonito flakes
12  large eggs
Essential Equipment
Instructions
    • 450 g kosher salt 
    • 450 g sugar 
    • 30 g black peppercorns, ground fine in spice grinder 
    • 30 g bonito flakes
    Pulse salt, sugar, pepper, and bonito flakes in food processor until evenly mixed and slightly ground, about 14 pulses. (Alternatively, ingredients can be processed in blender on high speed until evenly mixed and slightly ground, about 30 seconds.) Transfer 400 grams salt mixture to 8-inch square baking pan and shake pan to create even layer. Using whole, in-shell egg, make 12 evenly spaced ¼-inch-deep indentations in salt bed by pressing bottom of egg gently into salt mixture.  
    • 660 g eggs (12 large eggs)
    Working with 1 egg at a time, crack eggs, separate yolks from whites, and transfer yolks to indentations in salt bed. Carefully pour remaining salt mixture evenly over yolks. Wrap pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until yolks are firm and dry throughout, 6 to 7 days. 
  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees F/93 degrees C. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Fill medium bowl with cool water. Remove yolks from salt mixture, brushing off excess, and rinse gently in water. Pat yolks dry with paper towels and transfer to wire rack. Transfer sheet to oven and bake until exteriors of yolks are dry to touch, 30 to 40 minutes.
  2. Grate or thinly slice yolks and sprinkle on your favorite dishes, from pasta and risotto to roasted vegetables and buttered toast. (Cured yolks can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)   
Instructions
    • 1 pound kosher salt 
    • 1 pound sugar 
    • 3 tablespoons black peppercorns, ground fine in spice grinder 
    • 1 ounce bonito flakes
    Pulse salt, sugar, pepper, and bonito flakes in food processor until evenly mixed and slightly ground, about 14 pulses. (Alternatively, ingredients can be processed in blender on high speed until evenly mixed and slightly ground, about 30 seconds.) Transfer 14 ounces salt mixture to 8-inch square baking pan and shake pan to create even layer. Using whole, in-shell egg, make 12 evenly spaced ¼-inch-deep indentations in salt bed by pressing bottom of egg gently into salt mixture.  
    • 12 large eggs
    Working with 1 egg at a time, crack eggs, separate yolks from whites, and transfer yolks to indentations in salt bed. Carefully pour remaining salt mixture evenly over yolks. Wrap pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until yolks are firm and dry throughout, 6 to 7 days. 
  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees F/93 degrees C. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Fill medium bowl with cool water. Remove yolks from salt mixture, brushing off excess, and rinse gently in water. Pat yolks dry with paper towels and transfer to wire rack. Transfer sheet to oven and bake until exteriors of yolks are dry to touch, 30 to 40 minutes.
  2. Grate or thinly slice yolks and sprinkle on your favorite dishes, from pasta and risotto to roasted vegetables and buttered toast. (Cured yolks can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)   
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