After trial and error cooking egg bites using mason jars, with out satisfaction, I decided to buy a silicone form. Although the form is for Sous Vide cooking, I have only found one recipe that truly uses that style. Its directions are to cook at 167 degrees for 35 min but the eggs didn’t set. Any suggestions for future success?
JG, it would have been helpful for you to disclose the nature of your dissatisfaction with the egg bites using Mason jars. Members of this Community have been having a lot of success using them for the past couple of years.
Not knowing the mass of your silicon molds it’s difficult to provide you with detailed suggestions other than my reaction to your runny egg bites problem is that i would have used a higher temperature, 172ᴼF, and a longer time, 60 to 90 minutes.
Using the SV technique you can’t overcook the eggs using an appropriate time and temperature. Give them another try.
With the mason jars, the ingredients didn’t remain evenly distributed during the cooking process. In addition, the egg bites didn’t slide out of the jars, although I coated them with cooking spray as instructed. I treid this method twice.
During my research, I found a recommendation to use a Weck jar. But water leached under the lids.
Finally, I decided to try the silicone mold. I have no way to determine its mass measurement and I could only find one recipe which is the one I followed before posting.
Following my post, I put the mold back in the 187 degree water and added 30 minutes to the cooking process. The bites cooked through but still weren’t firm. Your suggestion to increase temperature and cooking time sounds right, though.
JG, i regret not clearly asking how much recipe product the silicon molds contain as that determines the cooking time.
Being crust-less quiche-like most Egg Bites aren’t homogeneous mixtures. Depending on the ingredients you use it can be very difficult to achieve even distribution without stirring during cooking.
i use unsalted butter to grease the cooking jars and after cooking run the thin, flexible blade of a paring knife around the inside of the jars to encourage the bites out.
If the Egg Bites don’t firm up satisfactorily after cooking 90 minutes you might consider reducing the amount of liquid ingredients other than eggs. Also, use the freshest eggs you can source, Some ingredients such as ham, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and onions can add significant water to the mixture as they cook. Sauté and cool moist ingredients before adding them to your egg mixture. Cottage cheese needs to be drained in a coffee filter lined strainer before use. If your recipe requires lemon just use finely grated zest, and only a little.
If all else fails, try blending or whipping a little corn starch into the egg mixture to tighten it as it cooks. Start with a scant 1/4 tsp. to 4 eggs, that should do it.
And lastly, maintain a detailed record for each batch so you can achieve repeatable perfection once it’s attained.
I used mason jars for a few years but recently switched to a 7 cavity silicon mold. The mason jars worked well, but were time consuming to clean and the eggs sometimes were difficult to get out. The bands and lids also need to be replaced after a few times due to rust and seals wearing out. I also had one break once - my fault for having the lid fastened too tight - and that was no fun.
Anyway, I use this recipe: Sous Vide Egg Bites: Bacon & Gruyere
and cook for 60 minutes at 172. They come out fully set, but still fairly tender to the bite. Since the mold is not very tall, you need to build up a platform of some sort in the water bath so that the Anova is properly submerged, but the water does not rise above the level of the mold’s lid. I use an inverted bowl.
I bought the egg mold for use in my instant pot, but did not like the results at all. Sous vide is the way to go for egg bites.
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Do you leave room to allow the egg bites to expand? If so how much? I’m amazed that the mold w lid works - I thought that food had to be submerged to maintain temp on all sides ; I guess not . I guess the mason jar lids are not submerged though that’s not clear in anything I’ve read. Last , does your mold have a snap on lid made for that mold or the other flat / floppy kind with a knob like handle - that ive seen referenced in some recipes online?
Mine are submerged. Bubbles rise. The egg bites are hot when removed, and whether eaten then or allowed to cool, do not appear or taste soggy.
Do you fill to the top or leave room to puff?
Do you leave room to allow the egg bites to expand? If so how much?
I’ve leave about 1/2 inch
I’m amazed that the mold w lid works - I thought that food
had to be submerged to maintain temp on all sides ; I guess not .
The water level is as far up the mold as possible - just below the lid
I guess the mason jar lids are not submerged though that’s not clear in anything I’ve read.
Mason jars are submerged. The water pressure seals the lids so that water does not enter. Lids on the mold do not seal well enough to submerge.
Last , does your mold have a snap on lid made for that mold or the other flat / floppy kind
It’s clear, rigid, snap on lid. But again, it does not form a water tight seal.
I just purchased a silicone egg mold with lid and was considering placing into a sealed one gallon bag to allow it to be fully submerged. Do you think this will work and allow for a good cooked egg?
I have used the mason jar method in the past and found it cumbersome. I just attempted the highest rated Starbucks Egg Bite recipe in the app and used my Silpat muffin mat covered with cling wrap and they turned out beautiful (172F for 60mins). My only complaint is the hotel pan I used for the water bath was a half inch too narrow compared to my muffin mat so one row of eggs are a bit slanted which left a little area of soft custard on the top. Solved that by broiling them in the oven for 30 seconds before eating. Highly recommend. The bites just popped out of the mold so easily. Will never use the mason jars again.