Cocktails with Raw Egg Whites

[JimJohn]

So I've been reading "Jigger, Beaker and Glass: Drinking Around the World" by Charles H. Baker and noticed that many of the recipes include egg whites, the yolk or sometimes both in one drink.

As a novice drinker, it has taken some courage to finally mix up a drink including egg, and I've decided to go with a classic Bourbon Sour:

- 2oz Bourbon

- 1 large egg white

- 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice

- 3/4 oz rich simple syrup

- Dash of Angostura bitters

For the Bourbon I went with Blanton's, a wedding gift from a couple months back(as an Irish/German, most of my whiskey gifts were of Irish decent).

For such simple ingredients, I think the thing is especially fantastic... The wife actually enjoyed it until I informed her of the raw egg white's inclusion.

Basically what this has all come down to is this: Are eggs safe when mixed with alcohol(a typical bacteria killer)? Are there certain precautionary measures I should be aware of when replicating this drink for others? Or should I just stay as far away from it as possible because as a society, we've established a strong enough fear of salmonella?

Cheers,

JJ

p.s. - Thanks for all the suggestions on my last post hen asking which liquors I should be out for concerning wedding gifts. I got all of what I asked for and plenty more, but alas, in 50ml bottles >_<

[FrogPrincesse]

JJ,

This is no more dangerous than homemade chocolate mousse or mayonnaise, which also contain raw egg whites/yolk...

I think that the risks are minuscule, but if you are really concerned, you can always buy pasteurized eggs.

[Czequershuus]

Pasteurized eggs are an option, but as long as the eggs are fresh there should be no problem. The chances of having any issues with raw eggs are quite miniscule.

[Lisa Shock]

The alcohol does kill off a significant amount of salmonella, if present. Also the acid from citrus creates a harsh environs. I researched this quite a bit. (Alcohol will help if you ate food contaminated with E. Coli or Salmonella, too. Studies of large groups who ate contaminated food show that people who drank the most hard liquor at the event were least likely to be sick and if they were sickened they got much milder cases of the disease. So, if something tastes 'off' at a wedding, make sure to have a few drinks.) Generally, it's highly unlikely you'll get sick from egg in a cocktail.

Many larger supermarkets carry the pasteurized eggs, if anyone has qualms, use those. -Especially if you have anyone with a compromised immune system trying your drinks.

[Tri2Cook]

I usually use pasteurized egg white from a carton... but that's more for convenience and not having leftover yolks than safety concerns.

[JimJohn]

Thanks for the input! And I'm feeling fine the day after, so I suppose that's good news. I look forward to testing out more recipes, especially for the holiday season.

Any suggestions?

[FrogPrincesse]

The Rattlesnake from the Savoy Cocktail Book is one of my favorites for winter.

2 oz rye, 3/4 oz lemon juice, 3/4 oz simple syrup, egg white.

Shake without ice, then shake with ice.

Strain into an absinthe (or pastis) rinsed coupe.

[janeer]

The Rattlesnake from the Savoy Cocktail Book is one of my favorites for winter. 2 oz rye, 3/4 oz lemon juice, 3/4 oz simple syrup, egg white.Shake without ice, then shake with ice.Strain into an absinthe (or pastis) rinsed coupe.

So, this is how I make a whiskey sour

[EvergreenDan]

Re health risk:

http://www.kindredcocktails.com/ingredient/whole-egg

[KD1191]

Thanks for the input! And I'm feeling fine the day after, so I suppose that's good news. I look forward to testing out more recipes, especially for the holiday season.

Any suggestions?

For the Holidays, you can't go wrong with Tom & Jerry.

[Tri2Cook]

Thanks for the input! And I'm feeling fine the day after, so I suppose that's good news. I look forward to testing out more recipes, especially for the holiday season.

Any suggestions?

For the Holidays, you can't go wrong with Tom & Jerry.

Agree... and would add the Fernet & Jerry and maybe even the (couldn't find the link but I picked this one up on Tiki Central):

Tabonga & Jerry

1/2 cup Tom and Jerry batter

1 oz Cruzan Blackstrap Rum

1 oz Brandy

1/2 oz Lime Juice

1/2 oz Falernum

In a mug, top with hot water, dust with nutmeg, garnish with a cinnamon stick.

[Adam George]

I hate the way pasteurised egg whites don't foam up as much as fresh eggs. I'm pretty sure the heating process kills off some of the proteins. Not a technical term, sorry.

So, to echo everyone else, alcohol and citrus will keep your drink safe.

Also, I might add you make your sours very sweet.... I usually scale back on the syrup a bit. Each to their own, though.

[thampik]

Interesting article on this subject on the BBC website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24346381) generally agreeing that there is low risk in using raw eggs.

What actually caught my eye was this

Alessandro Palazzi, head barman at the Dukes Bar in London, says there is no need to use eggs in cocktails at all. Palazzi avoids them, even with classic concoctions.

"Raw eggs were used in the old days to make classics like the whisky sour, but a lot of people don't use them now, including us. It's a lazy thing to do - like a chef adding flour to a sauce to make it thicker."

He says a good barman can create classic cocktails without using eggs at all.

"The only difference is the longevity of the froth. If you know how to shake a cocktail properly and use the right ingredients you can create the same effect."

In the old days bar staff used more basic ingredients. "They make drinks slimy and too thick. I think some people use them to hide the taste of cheap, bad ingredients."

I have to say I agree re: the taste imparted to a cocktail - I do not like it either.

Perhaps others can comment whether raw egg is an essential element that cannot be compensated for by the technique referred above...any idea as to what that is?

[FrogPrincesse]

thampik - I read the article this morning and thought too that it was confusing. I am not sure what technique Alessandro Palazzi is referring to. I think that it would be hard to achieve the texture of a Ramos Gin Fizz for example without using an egg white. I've seen gelatin foams mentioned as an option but they don't seem to work as well as egg whites in cocktails.

Some cocktails still work without the egg white, but for many classic cocktails the texture created by the egg white is an essential component. Additionally the egg white foam, while not imparting much flavor itself, helps blend the flavors together.

[Adam George]

I'd take anything Palazzi says with a large pinch of kosher salt. He is a dinosaur.

[Mjx]

What do raw egg whites bring to a cocktail? Raw, they have minimal flavour (I used to take my eggs raw, since I dislike them cooked), and the consistency would be diluted in any significant amount of fluid. Are they added just so you can make the drink foamy?

[Lisa Shock]

What do raw egg whites bring to a cocktail? Raw, they have minimal flavour (I used to take my eggs raw, since I dislike them cooked), and the consistency would be diluted in any significant amount of fluid. Are they added just so you can make the drink foamy?

It's not just about foam, they actually give a richer, smoother, silkier mouthfeel. Think about the texture of whipped egg whites,. We're not talking as stiff as a meringue, but when shaken, there is a structure formed that keeps the cocktail flavors on the tongue longer and gives the overall feel of something more substantial.

[teonzo]

Have you ever tried using powdered egg whites? They are safe and should have the advantage that they do not dilute the cocktail taste.

Teo

[FrogPrincesse]

There was a previous discussion of powdered egg whites in cocktails here. Some complained about the taste and tendency to clump. Also they have to be rehydrated before use.