In the final installment of our series on serving undercooked animal product, we are going to discuss the product that is almost always ordered undercooked. Eggs are rarely ordered well done at breakfast, they are key elements in many sauces and they give custards their rich textures. By taking a quick look at the Minnesota food code temperature rules, we can see that eggs cooked for hot holding must reach a temperature of 155 degrees for at least 15 seconds. How does this apply to over-easy eggs, Béarnaise sauce and ice creams where the egg product never actually reaches 155 degrees?
Food Safety Certification MN and the Raw Egg
If you work in a restaurant or institution that serves breakfast, you will receive numerous orders for eggs that are over-easy, sunny side up or soft boiled. All of these orders will leave the egg below the 145 degrees temperature requirement stated in the food code for eggs prepared for immediate consumption. It is perfectly acceptable to cook and immediately serve an over-easy egg to a guest. The key is that they have to be served immediately after cooking. If you do serve undercooked eggs in your restaurant, it is necessary to include a warning on your menu that certain items are undercooked and there may be a risk of food-borne illness.
How do these rules apply to products such as Hollandaise sauce, crème brulee or ice cream? These items all contain eggs that have never reached 155 degrees and are not served immediately. The Minnesota food code insists that pasteurized eggs be substituted for raw eggs. We find many chefs argue that liquid pasteurized eggs simply do not work for certain items. Do to modern advancements in sanitation and pasteurization; it is possible to purchase whole, raw pasteurized shell eggs. While the liquid form of pasteurized eggs is the most common, your product supplier should have whole, raw pasteurized eggs available.
While we’re talking about raw eggs, we feel that we should take a brief moment to discuss house-made mayonnaise and aioli. These are two products which to contain eggs that are never cooked. If you serve house-made mayonnaise, only use liquid pasteurized eggs and make sure that your product is always stored below 41 degrees.
Remember, undercooked eggs should never be held in a warmer or a steam tray for service.
