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What temperature for sous vide egg yolk?
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.
The full answer
The temperature that built modernist cuisine
The 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.
Why this exact temperature
Egg yolk proteins coagulate over a precise temperature window: - 140°F / 60°C — yolk barely thickened, white still runny (unsafe per FDA) - 143°F / 62°C — yolk lightly set; white starts coagulating - 145°F / 63°C — yolk custardy + spoonable; white tender-set (CLASSIC) - 147°F / 64°C — yolk firmer, beginning to lose flow - 149°F / 65°C — yolk fully set but soft; white firm - 158°F / 70°C — yolk hardboiled-firm, white rubbery
Time matters
Egg 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.
FDA pasteurization at 145°F
The 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).
Doneness target by use:
| Target | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Spoonable custard yolk (top ramen, salad) | 145°F | 45 min |
| Firm-set yolk (sandwich, brunch) | 149°F | 45 min |
| Pasteurized + safe for raw-egg dishes (carbonara, mayo) | 145°F | 3 hr 30 min |
| Hard-boiled equivalent | 167°F | 1 hr |
The shocking trick
After 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.
Time ranges by condition
| Condition | Duration | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Custardy egg yolk (classic 63°) | 145°F / 63°C | 45 min minimum; ideal for ramen + risotto + salad |
| Runny yolk + tender white | 143°F / 62°C | 45 min; less safe per FDA but used in modernist restaurants |
| Firm-set custard yolk | 149°F / 65°C | 45 min; spoonable but holds shape on bread |
| Pasteurized (raw-egg-safe) | 145°F / 63°C | 3 hr 30 min FDA-spec hold for raw dishes |
What changes the time
- Egg size. Standard "large" egg (~50g): use chart times. Jumbo eggs add ~5 min at any temperature
- Starting temperature. Cold-fridge eggs straight in are fine; rates are temperature-driven not size-driven
- Bath circulation. Immersion circulator essential for accuracy; stagnant water bath gives ±2°F drift = unreliable result
- Time vs temperature precedence. Above 45 min, temperature controls texture more than time. Don't guess at temp; calibrate circulator
Common questions
Why does my sous vide egg yolk taste raw?
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.
Can I sous vide eggs in shell?
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.
How does this differ from regular soft-boiled?
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.
Sources
We cite primary research, expert practice, and authoritative reference. Higher-tier sources weighted heavier. See methodology.
- T1Modernist Cuisine, Vol. 4 — Canonical reference for sous vide egg-yolk temperature curve
- T1FDA Food Code (2022) — 145°F for 3.5 hours = whole-egg pasteurization standard
- T2J. Kenji López-Alt, "The Food Lab" — Sous vide egg practical methodology + serving suggestions
Books referenced in this answer
This answer draws on these books. Want to read the full source? Find them on Amazon.
As an Amazon Associate, AskedWell earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. These are the same books we cite as sources above — we link them only because the answer draws on them. See our disclosure.
- Modernist Cuisine — Nathan MyhrvoldFind on Amazon
- The Food Lab — J. Kenji Lopez-AltFind on Amazon
Cite this page
de Vries, P. (2026). What temperature for sous vide egg yolk?. AskedWell. Retrieved 2026-08-29, from https://askedwell.com/pages/what-temperature-for/sous-vide-egg-yolk
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