I was taking my own life into my hands every time I would eat raw cookie dough.
My mom did a very thorough job of scaring us silly aboutthe life-threatening dangers of raw eggs. Sad to say, it didn’t stop my sister and I from pinching off bits of dough when she wasn’t looking…
Without fail, I’d get a stomachache an hour or two later (Not from the raw eggs, but rather the raw sugar and flour. Or maybe the guilty conscience.) and I would lie there, positive I was going to die a slow death as a result of my forbidden nibbling.
Therefore, thanks to my cookie-dough experiences, I was leery of drinking eggnog for quite a while. Not the store-bought stuff, as that’s always thoroughly pasteurized (and full of other junk, of course), but rather any raw eggnog recipe I would see floating around.
Becoming a homesteader has turned me into quite the risk-taking rebel… First raw milk, and now homemade eggnog made with raw eggs. What can I say… we like to live on the edge around here…
However, as I’ve learned more about food production and fresh foods, my fear of raw eggs has decreased significantly. Especially if said eggs come from healthy pastured chickens, like the ones we raise.
“The salmonella risk is increased when hens are raised in unsanitary conditions, which is extremely rare for small organic farms where the chickens are raised in clean, spacious coops, have access to sunlight, and forage for their natural food. Conventional eggs, making up the vast majority of eggs in typical grocery stores, have an increased risk for salmonella, which is why I advise against eating conventional eggs raw. One study by the British government found that 23 percent of farms with caged hens tested positive for salmonella, compared to just over 4 percent in organic flocks and 6.5 percent in free-range flocks.”
So, while you most definitely won’t find me making this raw eggnog recipe with storebought eggs, I feelquite safe using our homegrown, farm fresh eggs from our happy, healthy chickens.
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly ground is best)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of sea salt (I use this salt.)
2 tablespoons egg white (optional: for extra creamy version only)
Quick Version: Combine all ingredients in a blender or stand mixer (a blender is less messy), and mix thoroughly. Chill completely before serving.
Extra Creamy Version:
The one thing I don’t love about raw eggnog is that it’s not quite as creamy as the cooked versions. So, I came up with this quick technique to increase the creaminess.
Combine milk, 1.5 cups of cream, and all other ingredients (minus the egg whites) in a blend and combine thoroughly.
With a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup of cream and 2 tablespoons of egg whites until stiff peaks have formed.
Fold the whipped cream mixture into the egg/milk mixture. Chill and enjoy!
Don’t forget to sprinkle your finished eggnog with an extra pinch of nutmeg to make it pretty after you pour it into the glass. Serve with a straw, if desired.
Kitchen Notes:
Sometimes I like to strain my eggnog to create a smoother finish–especially if I’ve ground my own spices and there are coarser bits.
Don’t have a good source of pastured eggs? Try this cooked eggnog recipe instead.
This eggnog recipe makes 3-4 servings.
The good thing about this eggnog recipe is that it’s super flexible– you can definitely adjust the spices and sweetener to fit your tastes.
If you’re still feeling nervous about eating raw eggs from your chickens, give them a quick wash in soapy water before you crack them.;
This is a non-alcoholic eggnog recipe, but if you’re looking to spice it up a bit, try this eggnog recipe with bourbon.
Don’t want to make your own eggnog, but still want to avoid the junk in this storebought stuff? I love Kalona SuperNatural Eggnog— check your local health food store to see if they carry it.
2 tablespoons egg white (optional: for extra creamy version only)
Instructions
**Quick Version:
Combine all ingredients in a blender or stand mixer (a blender is less messy), and mix thoroughly. Chill completely before serving.
**Extra Creamy Version:
The one thing I don’t love about raw eggnog is that it’s not quite as creamy as the cooked versions. So, I came up with this quick technique to increase the creaminess.
Combine milk, 1.5 cups of cream, and all other ingredients (minus the egg whites) in a blend and combine thoroughly.
With a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup of cream and 2 tablespoons of egg whites until stiff peaks have formed.
Fold the whipped cream mixture into the egg mixture. Chill and enjoy!
And don’t forget to sprinkle your finished eggnog with an extra pinch of nutmeg to make it pretty after you pour it into the glass. Serve with a straw, if desired.
The idea? Make a batch of eggnog and let it age for at least three weeks in the refrigerator before drinking. The rest period supposedly drives off eggy taste while giving the other flavors a chance to meld. At the same time, the alcohol has a chance to kill any potential pathogens in the mix.
Canadian chef Heidi Fink states that one of the reasons people are making less homemade eggnog is that the beverage is expensive to make, due to its use of substantial quantities of cream, eggs, and spirits. Concerns about the safety of raw eggs may be another reason for the decline in homemade eggnog making.
While brandy is the most traditional alcohol to pair with eggnog, according to traditional recipes, you can also use a mixture of dark rum and Cognac. If you like your eggnog with more of a kick you can also add bourbon, but we recommend sticking to rum and Cognac to preserve the 'nog's flavors.
Why don't dairy manufacturers make eggnog all year long? It doesn't sell. Demand for eggnog follows traditional consumption patterns that date back hundreds of years. The drink was a wintertime favorite of the British aristocracy, who took it warm, mixed with brandy or sherry to prevent spoilage.
“While eggnog is not necessarily a 'health food', there are nutritional benefits coming from milk and cream, which contain protein and essential vitamins including calcium, and vitamins A, D, E and K,” Ariel Rasabi Cohn, MS, RD, LDN, founder of Whole Health Nutrition, LLC, told Health.
“The most recent estimates indicate that about three out of every 10,000 eggs is positive for salmonella,” Schaffner said. “This means the risk from any individual egg is low, but of course the more eggs you combine, the higher the risk.” Pasteurization is one of the keys to avoiding salmonella poisoning from eggnog.
The distinct flavors of egg, cream, and liquor meld together even after just a day or two in the fridge, making a smoother, more balanced cup of nog. The proteins in the eggs also start to thicken, giving eggnog its signature spoon-coating thickness.
The difference between the two varieties is that “old fashioned” eggnog is creamier and more strongly spiced than “classic,” Darigold spokesperson Erin Byrne said. “Classic” eggnog has 6% butterfat and is spiced with nutmeg, whereas “old fashioned” eggnog has 7% butterfat and is spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger.
People with diabetes, lactose intolerances, or egg and dairy allergies, as well as those abstaining from alcohol would all find this drink to be problematic. For the rest of people who don't mind ice cream and whipped cream every so often, imbibing a glass or two can still raise a red flag to the digestive system.
Bottom line: Eggnog and egg white co*cktails made with pasteurized eggs are safest, but alcohol can prevent the growth of bad bacteria like Salmonella. So you can safely sip your eggnog this holiday season, knowing the only reason you might regret it the next day is because you had one glass too many.
Best Eggnog to Spike: Southern Comfort Traditional Eggnog
It's not all that surprising that the team behind Southern Comfort whiskey knows how to make a booze-friendly eggnog. “This is thick, rich and pleasantly sweet thanks to baking spices,” one editor said.
"When choosing a rum, I personally find a spiced rum to be the best for the flavors incorporated in eggnogs," he said. "Chairman's Reserve Spiced Rum is best for its quality and flavor profile.”
Some say “nog” comes from “noggin,” meaning a wooden cup, or “grog,” a strong beer. By the late 18th century, the combined term “eggnog” stuck. Eggnog purists argue that those who don't like the Yuletide drink have simply never tasted the real thing.
For the brandy eggnog, Korbel VS was the brand of choice, and it produced a perfectly balanced drink. This eggnog had a nice sweetness in every sip, which paired admirably with the creamy egg base.
Eggnog is traditionally made with eggs, egg yolk, sugar, milk, heavy cream and vanilla extract. It's often spiked with brandy, rum or other liquor, and topped with freshly grated nutmeg and/or cinnamon sticks.
What Is Eggnog Made Of? Today, eggnog is usually made of some combination of eggs (either just the yolks or the yolks and the whipped egg whites), sugar, milk, cream, nutmeg, and sometimes booze. We're all familiar with the cartons of store-bought eggnog that grace supermarkets every December.
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