{"schema":"askedwell-answer-v1","url":"https://askedwell.com/pages/what-temperature-for/sous-vide-egg-yolk","question":"What temperature for sous vide egg yolk?","short_answer":"Sous vide egg yolks at 145°F / 63°C for 45 minutes — gives custardy, spoonable consistency (classic \"63° egg\"). Lower (140°F) = runnier; higher (149°F / 65°C) = firmer-set. Time: 45 min minimum for whites + yolks to set; up to 1 hour fine.","long_answer":"**The temperature that built modernist cuisine**\n\nThe 63°C egg (145°F) is one of the most-replicated sous vide preparations in restaurant kitchens worldwide. The egg yolk holds its shape but flows like warm custard; the white is just-set, tender, almost barely-coagulated. Heston Blumenthal popularized the technique at The Fat Duck in the early 2000s; Modernist Cuisine codified the precision-temperature curve.\n\n**Why this exact temperature**\n\nEgg yolk proteins coagulate over a precise temperature window:\n- **140°F / 60°C** — yolk barely thickened, white still runny (unsafe per FDA)\n- **143°F / 62°C** — yolk lightly set; white starts coagulating\n- **145°F / 63°C** — yolk custardy + spoonable; white tender-set (CLASSIC)\n- **147°F / 64°C** — yolk firmer, beginning to lose flow\n- **149°F / 65°C** — yolk fully set but soft; white firm\n- **158°F / 70°C** — yolk hardboiled-firm, white rubbery\n\n**Time matters**\n\nEgg whites need 45+ minutes at 145°F to fully set; yolks reach equilibrium in ~30 min. Below 30 min: white still slimy. Above 1 hour: no significant change but textures don't degrade.\n\n**FDA pasteurization at 145°F**\n\nThe FDA requires 145°F / 63°C for 3.5 hours OR 130°F / 54.4°C for 1 hour 15 min to pasteurize whole eggs in-shell (kill Salmonella). Sous vide eggs at 145°F for ≥45 min are SAFE for consumption but NOT pasteurized to FDA standard (need full 3.5-hour hold).\n\n**Doneness target by use:**\n\n| Target | Temperature | Time |\n|---|---|---|\n| Spoonable custard yolk (top ramen, salad) | 145°F | 45 min |\n| Firm-set yolk (sandwich, brunch) | 149°F | 45 min |\n| Pasteurized + safe for raw-egg dishes (carbonara, mayo) | 145°F | 3 hr 30 min |\n| Hard-boiled equivalent | 167°F | 1 hr |\n\n**The shocking trick**\n\nAfter sous vide cooking, transfer eggs to ice bath for 1 min to halt cooking + firm white slightly. Then crack just before serving — yolk holds shape; white peels off neatly.","duration_iso":"PT45M","ranges":[{"condition":"Custardy egg yolk (classic 63°)","duration":"145°F / 63°C","note":"45 min minimum; ideal for ramen + risotto + salad"},{"condition":"Runny yolk + tender white","duration":"143°F / 62°C","note":"45 min; less safe per FDA but used in modernist restaurants"},{"condition":"Firm-set custard yolk","duration":"149°F / 65°C","note":"45 min; spoonable but holds shape on bread"},{"condition":"Pasteurized (raw-egg-safe)","duration":"145°F / 63°C","note":"3 hr 30 min FDA-spec hold for raw dishes"}],"variables":[{"name":"Egg size","effect":"Standard \"large\" egg (~50g): use chart times. Jumbo eggs add ~5 min at any temperature"},{"name":"Starting temperature","effect":"Cold-fridge eggs straight in are fine; rates are temperature-driven not size-driven"},{"name":"Bath circulation","effect":"Immersion circulator essential for accuracy; stagnant water bath gives ±2°F drift = unreliable result"},{"name":"Time vs temperature precedence","effect":"Above 45 min, temperature controls texture more than time. Don't guess at temp; calibrate circulator"}],"sources":[{"label":"Modernist Cuisine, Vol. 4","tier":1,"note":"Canonical reference for sous vide egg-yolk temperature curve"},{"label":"FDA Food Code (2022)","tier":1,"url":"https://www.fda.gov/food/fda-food-code/food-code-2022","note":"145°F for 3.5 hours = whole-egg pasteurization standard"},{"label":"J. Kenji López-Alt, \"The Food Lab\"","tier":2,"note":"Sous vide egg practical methodology + serving suggestions"}],"faq":[{"question":"Why does my sous vide egg yolk taste raw?","answer":"Below 143°F (62°C), yolk proteins haven't coagulated enough to develop the characteristic custardy texture. Either bump to 145°F or hold longer at lower temp (1.5+ hours). Pure \"raw\" taste = circulator was off or undertemped."},{"question":"Can I sous vide eggs in shell?","answer":"Yes — that's the standard approach. Just place whole eggs in water bath. Shell stays intact. After cooking, crack into ramekin or carefully peel. Sous vide-in-shell is cleaner + retains yolk shape better than poached."},{"question":"How does this differ from regular soft-boiled?","answer":"Soft-boiled uses high temperature (212°F/100°C boiling) for short time (4-6 min); risk of overcooking. Sous vide uses LOW temperature (145°F) for LONG time (45 min) — gives precise, repeatable doneness. Cannot overcook sous vide; cannot easily under-cook either."}],"keywords":["sous vide egg yolk","63 degree egg","modernist egg","sous vide custardy egg","precision egg cooking"],"category":"cooking","date_published":"2026-05-22","date_modified":"2026-05-22","license":"CC-BY-4.0","attribution":"https://askedwell.com"}