MM Bon Appétit

If you already know about salted duck eggs, then you know that they are a must-have as the weather turns colder and we head towards congee season.

If you don’t, let me introduce you to something amazing. Salted duck eggs are one of those ingredients that instantly levels up a dish, whether it’s a bowl of congee, fried tofu, or a steamed bun. Yet they are incredibly easy to make- you basically just need duck eggs, salt, and time (plus a few spices if you want to… well- spice things up).

There are two main ways you can salt whole eggs: Dry- dipped alcohol then rolled in salt or Wet- soaked in a salty brine. The second is my preferred method and is the one I’m sharing in this recipe. If you just want a basic salted egg but no extra frills, you can skip the spices but I highly recommend them- they add some beautiful flavors to the final result. I promise they will taste better than any store-bought salted eggs!

It takes at least 4 weeks for the eggs to be ready. We recommend boiling and testing an egg at this point to decide whether you want to keep them in the brine longer. Our favorite level of salted-ness is at 5 weeks, when the salt has infiltrated the yolks just enough to turn them into incredible umami balls of goodness.

While duck eggs are preferred because they have larger yolks and tougher shells, making them ideal candidates for salting; you can definitely make salted chicken eggs as well. Just make sure you reduce the time and test them earlier- at around the 3-week mark.

The most classic way to use salted duck eggs is to hard boil them and serve with a steaming bowl of cháo (rice congee). You can also use the yolk to create an incredible sauce/coating. Check out our Đậu chiên sốt trứng muối (Fried tofu with salted egg sauce) and Cua lột rang trứng muối (Salted egg soft-shell crabs) recipes!

The yolks are the most treasured part of these salted eggs, but what to do with the saltier egg whites? I love using raw salted egg whites in fried rice and leftover hard-boiled salted egg whites on toast like a crumbly cheese!

So what are you waiting for? Time to level up your cooking game with some salted eggs!

INGREDIENTS FOR TRỨNG VỊT MUỐI

• Duck eggs - Trứng vịt: Duck eggs are bigger than chicken eggs and have a tougher shell. The yolks are larger and fattier and tend to be a deeper orange color. These factors make them ideal for brining.
• Sea salt - Muối biển
• Whole black peppercorns - Tiêu đen nguyên hạt
• Star anise - Hoa hồi
• Black cardamom pods - Thảo quả
• Cinnamon stick - Quế thanh
• A distilled liquor: Vodka or rượu đế (Vietnamese rice liquor)

TOOLS FOR TRỨNG VỊT MUỐI

• Glass jar with lid with at least 2L capacity
• Pickling weight, small plate, or clean quart storage bag

DIRECTIONS FOR TRỨNG VỊT MUỐI

1. In a pot, bring the water to a boil.
2. Add the salt, reduce heat to medium, and stir until everything dissolves.
3. Add the peppercorn, star anise, cardamom, and cinnamon.NOTE: If you just want a basic salted egg but no extra frills, you can skip the spices but I highly recommend them- they add some beautiful flavors to the final result.
4. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Remove pot from heat and let the brine cool completely.
6. While the brine cools, carefully and thoroughly wash the eggs under running water.
7. Wipe dry with a clean towel. Inspect your eggs and make sure none of them are cracked.
8. Sanitize your glass jar by pouring some boiling water into the jar. Rotate the jar so the boiling water reaches the entire inside surface before pouring out.
9. Once the brine has cooled to room temperature, add the alcohol and stir.
10. Once the jar is dry and cool, gently add in the eggs.
11. If you’re using the quart bag method to submerge the eggs: fill 1/3 of the bag with brine, press out the air, and close the bag. The reason we fill it with brine and not water is so that if the bag leaks, it will not dilute the brine.
12. Pour the rest of the brine into the bag over the eggs.
13. Place the brine-filled bag or your pickling weight/plate on top of the eggs and adjust it so that it sits evenly across the eggs.
14. Close the lid and store the jar in a place that has bright but indirect sunlight.
15. If this is your first time making them and not sure what level of saltiness you like, take out an egg after 4 weeks to test. Boil for 10-12 minutes.Hardboiled salted eggs are not easily peeled, we recommend cutting in half with a knife and scoop with a spoon.
16. If you like this level of saltiness, proceed to the next step. If you want them to be saltier, leave them in the brine for more time. My recommendation is 5 weeks.
17. Once the eggs have reached your desired level of saltiness, remove them from the brine, carefully rinse under running water and pat dry. This stops them from absorbing more salt.
18. You can store them as-is in the fridge for 1-2 months or hard boil and store in the freezer for several months.

RECIPE VIDEO