Perfect Poached Egg

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I have to try the microwave method. What a nice idea!
I tried the microwave idea. I would do one egg at a time. I did two in the same bowl. One was ready before the other. And, they sure are slippery buggers to get out of the water, even with a spider. It took 3 minutes 10 seconds to get both eggs to the right consistency. On the plus side, clean up is really easy.
 
I have to try the microwave method. What a nice idea!

Ditto here. I need to get up to the library and look for a MW cookbook. I had some leftover pizza from last night. I heated it up in the MW for 30 seconds. As we all know, bread products and the MW are not a friendly pair. But it worked for just the 30 seconds. The cheese melted and the bottom crust was just warm and edible.

I think I am going to have to put pizza on my no no list. Every time I have it, my stomach gets upset. :angel:
 
hmmmmm

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This will bug me until I try it, I just know. =P

A hole in the shell sure does work! My Mom had a little device - like a curved platform on a pogo stick (egg size, keep in mind). When you set the egg into the platform and pushed down you pushed the egg into a little hole punch. Cannot find anything like it so my DH got creative. He's insulin diabetic...and I now use his discarded blood tester, putting in a fresh punch with each batch of eggs. I think the pushpin would work even better though. Now I have to search through my desk to see if I have any.:ermm:
 
A hole in the shell sure does work! My Mom had a little device - like a curved platform on a pogo stick (egg size, keep in mind). When you set the egg into the platform and pushed down you pushed the egg into a little hole punch. Cannot find anything like it so my DH got creative. He's insulin diabetic...and I now use his discarded blood tester, putting in a fresh punch with each batch of eggs. I think the pushpin would work even better though. Now I have to search through my desk to see if I have any.:ermm:

The push pin works great! We used to do this all of the time when I was growing up.
 
Watched Sara Moulton on PBS today and she did poached eggs! Did it as a dinner entree, using a waffle as a base rather than an English muffin. She substituted flaxseed meal for 1/4 the flour and put a bed of steamed spinach on Canadian bacon that was on the waffle before laying the egg on top. Looked pretty.

I like to make Eggs Benedict during asparagus season but I don't poach the eggs. I don't like any "runny" to my yolk but Himself loves them runny. My Great-aunt, who ran a small restaurant with her husband, taught me to make steamed eggs - turn out like basted eggs without the work or grease. Have your cracked egg(s) in a small bowl, ice water in another, a lid that fits the pan, then get your pan super-hot. Drop a pat of butter in the pan and melt quickly, then put the eggs in, drizzle a little bit of ice water down the side of the pan, and put the lid on quickly. Turn the heat down about halfway. Takes a minute or two before you can slip the egg onto your plate. Doesn't hurt to use a glass lid since it doesn't steam up so much you can't see the white getting done.
 
hmmmmm

150459507.jpg


This will bug me until I try it, I just know. =P

I have a little gadget that has a pin that comes out & pierces the eggs like shown above. I love that little thing & I use it anytime I make hard boiled eggs that have to come out of the shell intact. It works pretty good.
 
As for my poached eggs I also have a poaching pan that I use.

Another one of my quirks is the microwave, I don't trust them & I try never to use the thing. If I wouldn't be married to a man who loves that appliance, I wouldn't have one in my home.
 
Hey,


How do you get the best poached egg???
Oh lord, I wish I knew - and I've tried every method know to man.

My great grandmother was Housekeeper in the household of a minor member of the British aristocracy (Think "Downton Abbey" but a bit less exalted) and later kept very up-market hotels. When she interviewed cooks she always made them poach an egg because she said a good poached egg is the test of a good cook.

By her standards, I'm a very bad cook (sob!)
 
Oh lord, I wish I knew - and I've tried every method know to man.

My great grandmother was Housekeeper in the household of a minor member of the British aristocracy (Think "Downton Abbey" but a bit less exalted) and later kept very up-market hotels. When she interviewed cooks she always made them poach an egg because she said a good poached egg is the test of a good cook.

By her standards, I'm a very bad cook (sob!)

Great poached eggs are not nearly as difficult as some people think. Simply bring salted water top a boil. Back off the heat until the water is still. Place your eggs into a ladle, and gently lower them into the water, and hold them just until the egg white starts to set. Then pour the fully into the pan. This keeps them from sticking to the pan bottom. let them cook for about 3 minutes, then lightly jiggle the pan. The egg whites must be firm and not jiggle at all. When the whites are set, use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the pan.

Egg whites set at about 155 degrees, while the yolks begin to set at about 145 degrees (if I remember correctly.) But remember, The water is hotter than is the egg. So, the heat will migrate from the hottest area to the coolest. The egg white, being on the outside, gets hot first. This allows the white to set before the yolk.

Just remember to salt your water, as this is what seasons the egg, and never let it come to a boil, as the agitation breaks it into a whole bunch of little pieces before it has a chance to set. You will get your perfect poached egg.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
Great poached eggs are not nearly as difficult as some people think. Simply bring salted water top a boil. Back off the heat until the water is still. Place your eggs into a ladle, and gently lower them into the water, and hold them just until the egg white starts to set. Then pour the fully into the pan. This keeps them from sticking to the pan bottom. let them cook for about 3 minutes, then lightly jiggle the pan. The egg whites must be firm and not jiggle at all. When the whites are set, use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the pan.

Egg whites set at about 155 degrees, while the yolks begin to set at about 145 degrees (if I remember correctly.) But remember, The water is hotter than is the egg. So, the heat will migrate from the hottest area to the coolest. The egg white, being on the outside, gets hot first. This allows the white to set before the yolk.

Just remember to salt your water, as this is what seasons the egg, and never let it come to a boil, as the agitation breaks it into a whole bunch of little pieces before it has a chance to set. You will get your perfect poached egg.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

Chief, you make it sound so easy! Thanks!
 
One trick I use is to stir the well salted water gently before dropping the egg in. this creates a vortex that causes the egg to stay in the middle and wrap its whites around the yolk. Make sure you drop the egg right in the centre of the pot. I would use a small bowl or saucer. A 1/3 cup measuring spoon would be perfect. Don't let it boil, be patient. To check it, I lift it out gently with a slotted spoon and touch it with my finger or jiggle the spoon a bit to see how soft it is....You'll catch on. It comes with practice
:chicken:
 
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So - this thread inspired me to try poaching. It took a few tries....
Here was dinner last night - a spinach salad with some greek yogurt, bread and an egg.

The spinach was tossed with some lemon and olive oil, smoky paprika, chives and salt / pepper and topped with egg experiment number 4. Bacon or maybe some sardines or dressed tuna chunks might be a good addition....

eggsalad.jpg
 
So - this thread inspired me to try poaching. It took a few tries....
Here was dinner last night - a spinach salad with some greek yogurt, bread and an egg.

The spinach was tossed with some lemon and olive oil, smoky paprika, chives and salt / pepper and topped with egg experiment number 4. Bacon or maybe some sardines or dressed tuna chunks might be a good addition....

I love how this looks, Janet! :yum:
 
I love how this looks, Janet! :yum:

+1 !! Thanks for sharing Janet...I really will try your idea. It looks and sounds like the perfect lunch or light dinner with the hot weather ahead.
I agree that sprinkled with home cooked bacon bits would make it perfection!:yum:

I'm definitely going to try Chief's ladle method, as it's the only method I have yet to try.
 
Great poached eggs are not nearly as difficult as some people think. Simply bring salted water top a boil. Back off the heat until the water is still. Place your eggs into a ladle, and gently lower them into the water, and hold them just until the egg white starts to set. Then pour the fully into the pan. This keeps them from sticking to the pan bottom. let them cook for about 3 minutes, then lightly jiggle the pan. The egg whites must be firm and not jiggle at all. When the whites are set, use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the pan.

Egg whites set at about 155 degrees, while the yolks begin to set at about 145 degrees (if I remember correctly.) But remember, The water is hotter than is the egg. So, the heat will migrate from the hottest area to the coolest. The egg white, being on the outside, gets hot first. This allows the white to set before the yolk.

Just remember to salt your water, as this is what seasons the egg, and never let it come to a boil, as the agitation breaks it into a whole bunch of little pieces before it has a chance to set. You will get your perfect poached egg.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
Sadly this doesn't work for me.

The only thing I haven't tried is poaching new laid eggs as, fond as I am of poached eggs, I am not fond enough to have the hassle of hens in the back garden!
 
Sadly this doesn't work for me.

The only thing I haven't tried is poaching new laid eggs as, fond as I am of poached eggs, I am not fond enough to have the hassle of hens in the back garden!

Well then I would suggest that in your travels if you should pass a farm with a sign out front that reads "Fresh Eggs", you back up and pick up a couple of dozen. You won't be sorry. Aside from the bright orangy color and the taste of a fresh egg, your whites will not be running around the pan trying to get away from the yolk. the yolk will be much higher and brighter in color. And the whites remain firm and close to the yolks. That farmer will have a new customer for sure. Just remember his egg production will be down in the winter. Chickens need long daylight to lay enough eggs for the farmer to make a profit. Each hen will lay one egg approximately every thirty/thirty five hours during long daylight days. The shorter the daylight hours, the longer it takes for the egg to develop in the chicken. :angel:
 
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