Perfect Poached Egg

[TooTall]

Hey,


How do you get the best poached egg???

 

[Addie]

I make sure I have enough salted water in the pan to completely cover the egg. Then using egg rings, I gently drop the egg into the ring and allow the water to simmer until the top of the white is cooked and there are no spots that still jiggle. I lift out with a spider or slotted spoon.

 

[Snip 13]

I've got an egg poaching pan. Makes life so much easier. I just add a bit of butter to each cup, crack in my eggs and I can see exactly when my eggs are perfect

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

It depends on my mood. I too have an egg poaching pan, with the removable little cups. I love the eggs from that pan. But sometimes, I'm in the mood for a poached, or coddled egg. In that case, I bring salted water to a boil, then back off the heat until the water is still. I gently break the eggs into the pan, and let sit in the hot water until the white is firm, with the yolk still runny. Then, like Addie, I lift the eggs from the pan with a slotted spoon.

Either way I cook them, I place them onto a toasted, buttered English Muffin, or onto buttered toast. I eat the egg white, and then break the yolk and spread it on the toast or muffin. Yum.

Poached eggs are also perfect on top of hash brown potatoes, or corned beef hash. If you know how to make Hollandaise Sauce, then they're perfect for Eggs Benedict.

If you use the poaching pan, and cook them until the yolks are firm, they are easily turned into great deviled eggs.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Aunt Bea]

I use the Chief's method!

They are great on a bed of spinach or over asparagus.

Try one over a simple green salad!

The warm creamy yolk over a sharp dressing and some slightly bitter greens is a nice combination!

 

[frenchguycooking]

You can use vinegar (half cup, looks much but it isn't) in the simmering water. It really help not to get a mess with the white in the pan.

I notice that hard boiling water also disturb the egg from poaching. I use medium heat and simmering water.

 

[CWS4322]

The true trick to the perfect poached egg is in the egg. The fresher the egg, the more the yolk and the white stick together. I use eggs that are still "warm from the hen" to make perfect poached eggs. I do add vinegar in the water because that is how I was taught to make poached eggs, but with fresh eggs it isn't necessary. The vinegar helps the white cling to the yolk (and since I use very fresh eggs, that isn't necessary--just habit). I bring the water to a boil and then let it drop to a gentle simmer, slide in the egg and cook for about 3 minutes.

 

[Cheezy]

I was also taught to crack the egg into a small cup, then gently lower it into the water. Never drop them in.

 

[CharlieD]

I was also taught to add vinegar, but i wonder if salt does the same trick?

 

[Andy M.]

I was also taught to add vinegar, but i wonder if salt does the same trick?

I don't think salt does it. You usually salt the water. If that worked no one would talk about adding vinegar.

 

[chopper]

I was also taught to crack the egg into a small cup, then gently lower it into the water. Never drop them in.

That is how I was taught too, Cheezy.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

The idea behind the vinegar is that it is acidic in nature and will raise the PH in the water. This will react with the egg protein, causing it to become more cohesive. I haven't tried it as I would think it would alter the flavor of the egg. I've also heard that if you stir the water, so as to make a funnel, you can drop the egg into the funnel and it will stay together better.

I've tried almost every technique you can think of, except using vinegar in the water. fresh from the chicken eggs aren't an option for me. They aren't available. I salt the water to season the egg while it's cooking, not because it helps hold the egg together, because it doesn't. The only method that has worked consistently for me, for truly poaching an egg, and maintaining its integrity, is to gently place the egg into water hot enough to cook it, but not hot enough to even create convective currents in the water. Then, there are no forces trying to disperse the egg. They come out whole, pretty, and great tasting.

If you have a way that works for you, and you enjoy the results, stick with it. You can try other techniques to see if they will give you superior results, just because we all should be learning new things, all the time. If they don't work, then go back to what you know works.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Zereh]

From here:

Restaurants use the microwave to cook poached eggs most of the time.

Fill a soup-sized bowl w/ water and add a splash of vinegar. Break an egg into a separate bowl. Gently lower the lip of the bowl with the egg into the water and release the egg. Cover the bowl with a plate & microwave about 1 to 2 min, depending on how you like them. It will take a couple tries to get the timing down right.

Quick, utterly painless and they come out perfectly every time once you get the timing down for your microwave.

 

[Dawgluver]

From here:

Restaurants use the microwave to cook poached eggs most of the time.

Fill a soup-sized bowl w/ water and add a splash of vinegar. Break an egg into a separate bowl. Gently lower the lip of the bowl with the egg into the water and release the egg. Cover the bowl with a plate & microwave about 1 to 2 min, depending on how you like them. It will take a couple tries to get the timing down right.

Quick, utterly painless and they come out perfectly every time once you get the timing down for your microwave.

This intrigues me. Thanks, Zereh!

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

as CWS says a perfectly fresh egg is the key.This vid shows part of the method I was taught. The eggs are cooked in the water for 2 minutes then placed in iced water, when they are cold and firm you can trim and shape for presentation, you can then return to the iced water and keep in the fridge for 10 days without the egg deteriorating.To reheat, take the eggs out of the iced water and let them reach room temp then poach for 1 minute.
The Magic of Chef Paul - Poached Eggs - YouTube

 

[Addie]

When I make a poached egg, I make it to be eaten then. The only time I want cold eggs is in egg salad or deviled eggs. I certainly don't want an ice cold poached egg. I have never understood that method for use in the home.

 

[TooTall]

From here:

Restaurants use the microwave to cook poached eggs most of the time.

Fill a soup-sized bowl w/ water and add a splash of vinegar. Break an egg into a separate bowl. Gently lower the lip of the bowl with the egg into the water and release the egg. Cover the bowl with a plate & microwave about 1 to 2 min, depending on how you like them. It will take a couple tries to get the timing down right.

Quick, utterly painless and they come out perfectly every time once you get the timing down for your microwave.

Wow! I've never worked anywhere they've used a microwave for poached eggs, it makes sense though.... Hmmm... Off for an experiment I think!

 

[chopper]

When I make a poached egg, I make it to be eaten then. The only time I want cold eggs is in egg salad or deviled eggs. I certainly don't want an ice cold poached egg. I have never understood that method for use in the home.

I think this would be a great idea if you were having a crowd over for brunch! It's not like you are going to eat the cold egg! If you had these all ready the day before, you could come home from church on Sunday and have poached eggs ready for a crowd in about a minute. Sounds like that might work for home use.

 

[chopper]

I have to try the microwave method. What a nice idea!

 

[Zereh]

hmmmmm

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