Smoked Hard Boiled Eggs

[Kevin_nj]

I know some here (including Meathead) have done this. Meathead mentions it in a recipe https://amazingribs.com/mayo-mojo-sm...g-salad-recipe I saw a slightly different version elsewhere on the web of 225F for 2 hours.

My first attempt was a huge success. Four test subjects at 225F for 2 hrs, rotated half way through. They looked just like Meathead's in the above link and there was smoke penetration in the whites. The eggs had a mild to moderate smoke flavor that elevated the otherwise plain tasting egg.

It was so successful that I did a full dozen and brought a couple in to work (without testing first) to give to a coworker that I had bragged to about how good they were. Of course, these eggs picked up no smoke flavor, my friend said he thought there was a little, I say no, he was getting it from the shell.

This begs the question why? I have a few thoughts based on the minor differences in the cooks. The first batch were white eggs and nothing else was in the smoker. The second batch were brown eggs and I had a 6# shoulder and 2 racks of baby backs on at the same time.

Is it possible the brown egg's shells are less permeable? Or the meat in the smoker was blocking enough smoke that the eggs simply weren't exposed?

[EdF]

Sounds like you are faced with a "food science" challenge!

[Kevin_nj]

It sure does.

[texastweeter]

I dry smoke them until "soft boiled" then chill them, peel them, and return them tot he smoker. Lots of smoke that way.

[Kevin_nj]

"Dry smoke"? Sorry, I'm not familiar with that term.

[texastweeter]

I put them in my verticel smoker at 325 for 20-25 minutes shell and all with nothing in the water pan. Remove, chill in cold water. They should be soft boiled. peel them under running water, then I fill up the water pan and finish smoking at 325 for an additional 10-15 minutes.

[texastweeter]

you can smoke poach them too! Muffin tin with 1 Tbs of water in each cup. Crack the egg in a bowl, then use a slotted spoon to remove them and leave behind the runny bits. gently add to the muffin tin cups and smoke at 350 for about 12 minutes. You may have to adjust your time but at the end the water will be on top with set whites and runny yolks and a FANTASTIV smoky flavor!

[ssandy_561]

I do remember reading something some where that farm fresh eggs have a protective barrier on the shell where the ones you buy in the grocery store have lost that barrier in processing. That's why farm fresh eggs do not need refrigeration like store bought eggs do. Could this have been a factor?

[Willy]

Some info on refrigeration: http://www.takepart.com/article/2014...rate-your-eggs

I know many farmers market vendors wash their eggs to remove the feces; hence, they need to be kept cold.

[texastweeter]

We only use yard eggs from our farm. cook just like store bought eggs.

[customtrim]

It's called the bloom to help protect the egg from contaminants. All store bought eggs have been washed so the bloom is gone

[vandy]

I guess one good test to find out what happened would be to smoke some white eggs with some brown eggs in the same smoker to test which one takes on more smoke.

[Nate]

Kind of what I was thinking. OP should test it and let us know.

[Kevin_nj]

I intend to, but it will have to wait a week or so. I just sent my pellet smoker's controller out for a firmware update.

[Kevin_nj]

got around to testing the the theory that white and brown eggs absorb smoke differently.
The short version: somewhat still inconclusive at this time.

Longer version with pictures:

I did four each, placed in an alternating pattern to minimize placement as a factor.

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After 2 hours at 225F rotated 1/2 way though.

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They then went into an ice bath and eventually the fridge for four-five hours.

Peeled and sliced. Brown on the left white on the right.



I think the white had a little bit more smoke flavor, but it is hard for me to be completely objective here. This particular brown egg was cracked in several places when I pulled it off of the smoker; so it should have taken in more smoke. I did not notice if it was cracked at the half-way point, it was one of the ones in the back. I'll see if there is a bigger difference between the next ones.

As I am typing this up, I realize there was a difference between the first and second batch I did. The first batch I only did four and kept them in a SS bowl covered with plastic wrap in the fridge. The second batch I did a full dozen and put them back in the (plastic) container. The remaining six from this batch are currently in an uncovered SS bowl, I'm going to cover them now.

I only ate half of each. I had my wife do a blind taste test on the other halves. She said there is a subtle difference between the two but she can't really say how. But they were both "yummy".

[texastweeter]

no difference in brown and white eggs.