Smoked Salmon Benedict: A Smoky Twist on a Brunch Classic

Bus

Sep 14

3 min read

Eggs Benedict is already one of the great breakfast combinations: toasted English muffin, poached egg, and warm hollandaise sauce. Swap the traditional Canadian bacon for smoked salmon and it gets even better, especially if you've already got homemade smoked salmon sitting in the fridge. It's a pretty simple breakfast once you get comfortable poaching an egg and making hollandaise, and it's one of the better ways to turn leftover smoked salmon into something completely different the next morning.

Ingredients

For the Smoked Salmon Benedict

2 English muffins, split
Smoked salmon
4 large eggs
Capers, for topping
Salt, as needed
Freshly ground black pepper, optional

For the Hollandaise

3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of salt

Before You Start

The biggest challenge with Eggs Benedict isn't any individual step. It's getting the English muffins toasted, salmon ready, eggs poached, and hollandaise finished at roughly the same time. Get everything else organized before you start the eggs and sauce.

The smoked salmon doesn't need much attention. If you're using homemade smoked salmon straight from the refrigerator, you can let it sit out briefly while you prepare everything else so it isn't ice cold when it hits the warm English muffin.

Hollandaise has a reputation for being difficult, but the basic idea is simple: gently combine egg yolks and butter into a smooth emulsion without getting the eggs so hot that they scramble. Keep the heat low, whisk constantly, and don't rush the butter.

Finally, save the capers for the end. Smoked salmon and capers are a classic combination for a reason, but both are salty. Adding the capers as a finishing ingredient lets you control how much you get in each bite instead of mixing them directly into the hollandaise.

Directions

1. Get Everything Ready

Before you start cooking the eggs, prepare the ingredients you'll need for assembly.

Split the English muffins.
Portion out the smoked salmon.
Drain the capers.
Separate the egg yolks for the hollandaise.
Cut the butter into smaller pieces or melt it gently, depending on your hollandaise method.
Bring a pot of water to a gentle simmer for poaching the eggs.

2. Make the Hollandaise

Make the hollandaise gently on the stovetop with a whisk.

Add the egg yolks and lemon juice to a heat-safe bowl or small saucepan.
Whisk until combined and slightly thickened.
Place over very low heat, or over a pot of barely simmering water.
Whisk constantly.
Slowly add the butter while continuing to whisk.
Keep whisking until the sauce becomes smooth, creamy, and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Add a small pinch of cayenne pepper.
Season lightly with salt if needed.
Taste and add more lemon juice if you want additional acidity.

If the hollandaise gets too thick, whisk in a small splash of warm water until it reaches the consistency you want. The key is gentle heat. You're making a sauce, not scrambled eggs.

3. Poach the Eggs

You want the whites completely set while keeping the yolks soft.

Bring a saucepan of water to a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil.
Crack each egg into a small bowl or ramekin.
Carefully lower the egg into the water.
Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes for a runny yolk.
Remove with a slotted spoon.
Let excess water drain before assembling the Benedict.

Work in batches if your pot isn't large enough to comfortably hold all of the eggs.

4. Toast the English Muffins

Toast the English muffins while the eggs are cooking.

Toast the split muffins until golden and lightly crisp.
Place two halves on each plate.

5. Build the Smoked Salmon Benedict

Assemble everything while it's warm.

Place smoked salmon over each toasted English muffin half.
Top the salmon with a poached egg.
Spoon warm hollandaise generously over the egg.
Scatter capers over the top.
Finish with black pepper, cayenne, or fresh herbs if desired.

Serve immediately.

The Bus Stop BBQ Take

Smoked salmon is one of those BBQ ingredients that's worth making extra of because the leftovers can go in completely different directions. You can eat it straight from the smoker for dinner, put it into dips or chowder, or pull it out the next morning and suddenly you've got brunch.

Here, the smoke from the salmon is enough. The creamy egg yolk and buttery hollandaise balance the stronger smoked flavor, while lemon and capers provide the acidity and salt the whole thing needs. It's rich, smoky, salty, buttery, and bright all at once, which is exactly what you want from a Benedict.

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