If you've never tried salt-cured egg yolks, then you're in for a treat! Cured yolks have a rich, cheesy flavor along with a salty tang. Grate them onto veggies, pasta, eggs (!) and you'll find that your food has been elevated in a simple, delicious way.
Curing the yolks in salt inhibits spoiling bacteria, allowing healthy cultures to take over, like antibacterial lactobacillus, also found in other fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut and beer!!
Here's how to make them:
Ingredients
egg yolks
kosher or canning salt (don't use table salt, it has additives and anti-caking agents and won't work for this)
cheesecloth
Instructions
Place a 1/2" thick layer of salt into a glass baking dish - I used a pie dish.
Using the shelled egg, create divots in the salt for each egg yolk. The yolks should be at least 1/4" apart.
Separate the eggs, being careful not to puncture the yolk. I crack the egg into my hand and let the white run through my fingers, then gently slide the yolk into the salt.
Cover the yolks completely with salt.
Place the salt-covered yolks in the refrigerator to cure for 1 week. You don't have to cover them.
After a week, remove the yolks from the salt and gently dust off as much salt as you can.
Place the yolks on a clean cheesecloth, separated by at least 1", and tie the cloth at the ends and between each yolk with twine.
Hang the yolks to dry in your refrigerator or in a cool dark place (under 50 degrees) for 7-10 days. The yolks should be firm at this point.
Remove the yolks from the cheesecloth, brush off any more excess salt and enjoy! You can store them tightly covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
Did you make them? Share pics of what you used them on in the comments!