Perfect poached eggs

[senior chef]

Ever been frustrated when attempting to make poached eggs, and only to end up with a pan full of white "wispies" ? And/or that the egg comes out a weird shape ?

Fear not. There are a few tricks to making perfect poached eggs.

1.) The single most important step is to have the freshest eggs possible.
So, how can you tell ? Use the 'egg in water test'
Fill a small bowl with 4 inches of water. Carefully set the egg in the water and watch how it reacts.
If the egg stays at the bottom of the bowl in a horizontal position, it is fresh.
If the egg stands upright with the small end pointing up, it is still usable for any recipe, BUT NOT for poached eggs.
If the egg actually floats to the top, it is too old to be used for ANY purpose.

2.) For the next step, you will need a small tea strainer (like the one pictured below. And also you will need a few very small 'custard type cups'.

3.) Crack the egg into the small wire strainer (fine mesh) and set it over a bowl. Excess liquid will weep through the wire and into the bowl.

4.) Transfer the egg to a small custard type cup. (One egg /cup)

5.) Heat 4 inches of water to the point where bubbles are collecting at the bottom of the pan but NOT breaking the surface.

6.) Add 1-2 TBLSP of white or apple cider vinegar to the water. Do NOT salt water. (not to worry, your eggs will not taste taste like vinegar)

7.) Use a large spoon to create a swirling of the water. No you do NOT want a tornado. Just a swirling of the water is perfect.

8.) Gently pour egg into the middle of the swirl and cook for EXACTLY 3 minutes. A kitchen timer is a huge help.
Your poached egg will now have a solid white with a warm runny yolk.

9.) Use a slotted spoon to lift out the poached egg. And blot on a paper towel.

10.) Now, if you have anything less than a very nice egg shape, you can use kitchen shears to carefully trim away odd bits of the egg.

11.) Place the poached egg on whatever you like: buttered toast, buttered English muffins, etc etc. And serve immediately.

 

[senior chef]

Below is a photo of a perfectly poached egg. Notice the nice oval shape.

 

[senior chef]

Photo of a poorly prepared poached egg. Notice the yolk is not covered with any solid white. Probably prepared in a saute pan and NOT in a pot with 4 inches of water.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I’ve experimented with microwave poached eggs with uneven results.

I get the best most consistent results using your
method.

Here is one of my favorite poached egg recipes. I simplify if by using leftover pasta sauce or salsa from a jar.

https://thecookingjar.com/eggs-hell-shakshuka/

This is another inexpensive soft cooked egg technique that can be made with whatever you have on hand.

 

[Murrmurr]

I use the ol' egg-in-the-hole method, which isn't actually a poached egg but it's just as yummy. On holidays I'd make the hole with various holiday cookie cutters (for my kids).

I used to have these metal egg poaching rings but they came up missing some years ago. I think an old girlfriend took them. They were simple to use and made exceptionally nice looking poached eggs. I didn't care that the egg came out perfectly round.

I love poached eggs.

 

[Lee]

Aunt Bea, that Pepin video is good, the second next video down on it has Eggs Janet, he named the recipe after his mother. I am going to try that, would make a nice light lunch along with some garlic bread.

I use a non stick egg poacher, they come out nice, the cups do not go into the water, they steam. for some reason I have never liked the eggs in water, to each his own.

 

[katlupe]

I use the silicone poaching cups to make poached eggs. But they do go in water. Not sure they come out perfect, but they come out poached and have soft yolk with the white cooked not runny. I am not too fussy other than that.

Now I think I need to make some for my breakfast.....

 

[Capt Lightning]

I follow the basics of poaching the egg in a pan of water with a touch of vinegar, but I'm just not that fussy. If the egg is a tad scruffy or the white doesn't totally cover the yolk, as long as it tastes good, that's fine by me.

 

[feywon]

I follow the basics of poaching the egg in a pan of water with a touch of vinegar, but I'm just not that fussy. If the egg is a tad scruffy or the white doesn't totally cover the yolk, as long as it tastes good, that's fine by me.

Taste is paramount. Because i prefer the yolk still liquid but white of egg fully cooked i experimented with various methods over the years--from poached to 'over easy', which too often broke the yolk, to 'basting' with the butter you cracked the fried egg into--but as i got older wasn't keen on the extra butter, due to cholesterol/saturated fat issues.

Then i saw something, on an Anthony Bourdain show i think (which i didn't watch for the food but the narratives and conversations) where a chef sort of half fried half steamed eggs that came out exactly how i like --white fully cooked, yolk liquid. i call them half poached: Just enough butter to keep egg from sticking over moderate heat, as soon as edges go 'white' add a few tablespoons of water and cover--i use a Corning 'Amberware' glass cover so i can see it, in less than a minute they're usually just right for me. i'll have them on Rye toast, over leftover tamales or burritos or sometimes a hash brown patty.