How do I make good looking poached eggs?

[crankin]

I really enjoy making poached eggs and they usually come out very good, but looking nothing at all like many pictures. I'm wondering how they can produce such perfect looking poached eggs, or if it is somehow altered/edited to look especially good in pictures or on TV shows? For example, in this recipe photo:

Two Potato and Beet Hash with Poached Eggs and Greens Recipe | MyRecipes.com

Mine always come out much more scraggly looking and while they taste good and are cooked just fine, I can never get such a perfectly smooth and round shape. My method is:

1. Bring water to boil and then simmer in a skillet (few inches deep)
2. Add a splash of white vinegar
3. Break eggs into a small dish
4. Pour eggs slowly into water
5. Cook for 3-4 minutes
6. Remove with slotted spoon

Am I being foolish to think I could make eggs that look like that or is there a trick I am missing?

 

[Andy M.]

There is a trick you're missing.

Once when I was watching Jacques Pepin, he poached eggs. After taking them out of the pan he carefully trimmed the egg so it was as pretty as the one in your link. He held the poached egg in the palm of his hand and used a paring knife to trim off the scraggly pieces of white. The photo you posted looks like it was trimmed down to the yolk.

 

[CWS4322]

You need to have really fresh eggs for the white to adhere to the yolk. The other thing is that you need to add the vinegar, more than you think you need, and stir the water while you are adding the egg, keep stirring until the yolk and white adhere to one another. I use "today's eggs" for poached eggs (not that I'm an eggspert, but I have laying hens, so I use the freshest eggs possible and mine are "hen temperature" because I use the eggs that are still warm when I collect them--not sure if bringing the egg to room temp / hen temp matters or not). I also find that using one of those microwave egg poachers is a lot easier than doing the water-vinegar method (clean up, timing, perfection). I usually lightly oil the poacher with a bit of vegetable oil or spray or, when feeling decadent, about 1/8 tsp unsalted butter, poke the yolk gently with a sharp knife, add about 1/4 tsp water, and cook on high for 50-55 seconds. Works for me every day. But, if you want to do it in a pan, be sure to keep stirring the water while adding the egg. If you do them in a pan, you can lift them out using a slotted spoon, drain them and trim if necessary. Or, you can put the little pyrex dish in the simmering pan of water and cook the egg that way--kind of like an improvised version of a pan that has the egg poaching cups.

 

[crankin]

There is a trick you're missing.

Once when I was watching Jacques Pepin, he poached eggs. After taking them out of the pan he carefully trimmed the egg so it was as pretty as the one in your link. He held the poached egg in the palm of his hand and used a paring knife to trim off the scraggly pieces of white. The photo you posted looks like it was trimmed down to the yolk.

Thanks for the tip. Though, it seems kind of wasteful if I'm just preparing the dish for myself; oh well.

 

[Harry Cobean]

maybe you can find some of these over there,i've got some & they work everytime.or the four egg poaching pan further down the page
Green poachpod® in egg poaching and boiling at the home of creative kitchenware, Lakeland

 

[Andy M.]

Thanks for the tip. Though, it seems kind of wasteful if I'm just preparing the dish for myself; oh well.

If I was preparing the dish for myself, I'd care less about the appearance.

 

[crankin]

I also find that using one of those microwave egg poachers is a lot easier than doing the water-vinegar method (clean up, timing, perfection).

Interesting; I bought one of those and could never get the bottom of the egg cooked before the yolk solidified (if the yolk was still runny, the bottom of the egg was completely raw). Do you have a brand/type you recommend?

 

[Steve Kroll]

I'd also wager that the photo in the original poster's link was taken by a food photographer. Those guys have a lot of tricks up their sleeves for making food look pretty.

I had a poached egg for breakfast just this morning (served over wilted spinach). Believe me, mine didn't look that nice, either. But it sure tasted alright.

 

[CWS4322]

Interesting; I bought one of those and could never get the bottom of the egg cooked before the yolk solidified (if the yolk was still runny, the bottom of the egg was completely raw). Do you have a brand/type you recommend?

I put the water (about 1/4 tsp) in the cup first, and then the egg, prick the yolk, sprinkle a bit more water on top. Depending on the size of the egg, I usually start with 45 seconds and then add 5-10 seconds. I bought mine a LONG time ago, so I don't know what brand it was/is.

 

[CWS4322]

I'd also wager that the photo in the original poster's link was taken by a food photographer. Those guys have a lot of tricks up their sleeves for making food look pretty.

I had a poached egg for breakfast just this morning (served over wilted spinach). Believe me, mine didn't look that nice, either. But it sure tasted alright.

If you have any of those eggs left, put them in a bowl of water and see if they float. If they do, they are older than 7 days' old and the white will not adhere to the yolk when poaching--no difference re: taste, just presentation. Fresh eggs don't float. They'd make great hb eggs because you need older eggs to get the shell to separate from the egg when peeling it. Trust me, fresh "today's eggs" are a b*tch to peel.

 

[chopper]

Sometimes I wonder if those pictures are real food. Why don't you take a picture of yours and we decide if it looks better than the "perfect" egg picture you posted. I'm guessing if you eat it really fast you may be able to remember it as a beautiful egg! Seriously, mine have never looked that good, but the fresher the egg the better they look. Isn't that funny-when we boil eggs we want the ones that have been sitting around awhile.

 

[CWS4322]

I really enjoy making poached eggs and they usually come out very good, but looking nothing at all like many pictures. I'm wondering how they can produce such perfect looking poached eggs, or if it is somehow altered/edited to look especially good in pictures or on TV shows? For example, in this recipe photo:

Two Potato and Beet Hash with Poached Eggs and Greens Recipe | MyRecipes.com

Mine always come out much more scraggly looking and while they taste good and are cooked just fine, I can never get such a perfectly smooth and round shape. My method is:

1. Bring water to boil and then simmer in a skillet (few inches deep)
2. Add a splash of white vinegar
3. Break eggs into a small dish
4. Pour eggs slowly into water
5. Cook for 3-4 minutes
6. Remove with slotted spoon

Am I being foolish to think I could make eggs that look like that or is there a trick I am missing?

I eat greens every morning with two poached eggs...or, sometimes fried. I made a lovely potato-greek sausage hash yesterday. I had made fries the night before using freshly dug potatoes from the garden (thinner skinned potatoes = waxy potato. These are, IMO, better re: fried potatoes). I blanched the potatoes in the deep fryer at ~160F for about 7 minutes, drained well, blotted with paper towels, cubed them, put in a tupperware container in the fridge overnight. (Originally, I thought I'd flash freeze the potatoes and eat them as oven fries but then I remembered the sausage in the freezer and thought of making the hash.) In the morning, I put 1 tsp of bacon fat in a CI skillet, added 1 chopped onion (medium sized--from the garden so it had more moisture than a dried onion would have) and sauteed that until golden. I took the casings off 2 Greek-style sausage, added that, ground pepper, some chopped garlic. In the meantime, I steamed some Swiss Chard. When that was almost done, I poached the eggs. I also had a side of miso-mushroom stir-fried barley.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

If you have any of those eggs left, put them in a bowl of water and see if they float. If they do, they are older than 7 days' old and the white will not adhere to the yolk when poaching--no difference re: taste, just presentation. Fresh eggs don't float. They'd make great hb eggs because you need older eggs to get the shell to separate from the egg when peeling it. Trust me, fresh "today's eggs" are a b*tch to peel.

I ahve an egg poaching pan that steams eggs to perfection, and the little green pouches, that do a reasonable job. These are not truly poached eggs though. They are steamed, and very tasty.

My best poached eggs are actually called coddled eggs. You bring salted water to a boil, then back off the heat until the water is no longer moving. Break the eggs into the hot water, as close to the water as possible, and let the hot water cook the egg, without rapidly moving water and bubbles tearing the egg apart. The egg will hold it's shape and produce a minimum of jellyfish looking eggwhite.

I've tried the vinegar and rapidly stired water technique. These are called funnel eggs. I've had no luck making that work personally. I'm sure someone has mastered it, or it wouldn't be so well known.

Coddled eggs are the easiest method I know to poach and season the egg so that it tastes and looks great.

Oh, and this is also the secret to making those long, lovely strands of egg in egg-drop soup. You turn the neat down before drizzling in a steady stream of beaten egg.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[CWS4322]

I ahve an egg poaching pan that steams eggs to perfection, and the little green pouches, that do a reasonable job. These are not truly poached eggs though. They are steamed, and very tasty.

My best poached eggs are actually called coddled eggs. You bring salted water to a boil, then back off the heat until the water is no longer moving. Break the eggs into the hot water, as close to the water as possible, and let the hot water cook the egg, without rapidly moving water and bubbles tearing the egg apart. The egg will hold it's shape and produce a minimum of jellyfish looking eggwhite.

I've tried the vinegar and rapidly stired water technique. These are called funnel eggs. I've had no luck making that work personally. I'm sure someone has mastered it, or it wouldn't be so well known.

Coddled eggs are the easiest method I know to poach and season the egg so that it tastes and looks great.

Oh, and this is also the secret to making those long, lovely strands of egg in egg-drop soup. You turn the neat down before drizzling in a steady stream of beaten egg.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

Somewhere in my many boxes, I have two of these:

PAIR OF VINTAGE ROYAL WORCESTER EGG CODDLERS IN ORIGINAL BOX | eBay

If I remember correctly, one adds a bit of butter, water, and the egg, and then lowers the coddler into gently boiling water for about 5-6 minutes. I love coddled eggs...I think they might be in the box marked "hutch..." I'll have to have a look on the weekend.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

My best poached eggs are actually called coddled eggs. You bring salted water to a boil, then back off the heat until the water is no longer moving. Break the eggs into the hot water, as close to the water as possible, and let the hot water cook the egg...

That's the way I poach eggs too. Or coddle them. Whatever.

It makes sense that moving water will tend to tear the egg apart, and any boiling at all causes convective currents.

IMO the water needs to be dead still to make good poached eggs.

 

[Gravy Queen]

I'm not really sure why you need poached eggs to look really good.

For us, they are a regular breakfast/lunch type meal. Poached eggs on toast.

I poach them simply in shallow water which is brought to the boil first. Bring down to a simmer and then turn the heat off. Just takes a few minutes.

Nowt fancy.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Yeah, as GQ says, best to turn off the heat just before adding the eggs.

I don't time them. When they look done they are done!

 

[taxlady]

maybe you can find some of these over there,i've got some & they work everytime.or the four egg poaching pan further down the page
Green poachpod® in egg poaching and boiling at the home of creative kitchenware, Lakeland

My first thought on seeing the egg in the photo was that it was made with something like that.

 

[Andy M.]

If you look closely at the egg in the link, there is no white beyond the edge of the yolk. It had to be trimmed.

 

[no mayonnaise]

Maybe it's just me, but a little imperfection in a poached egg is nice. I like the rustic look. It can't be a mess, but it shouldn't look like it's fake either.