Do you like poached eggs as much as I do. Have you tried to make them and it’s been hit and miss? We’ve all had those days, where the yolk breaks, or gets too hard.
When you have a day of perfection, however, you want to talk about it. The eggs in the picture were baffling. They took on the oval shape of an egg. I was astounded. It was a fluke, but it made me stand up and pay attention, because just on a whim I used a method I accidentally stumbled upon at Eat, Live, Run.
Jenna did quite the good sales job in claiming that her method worked well, and was worth mastering. When she said, don’t stir it made me think there are always two or more ways to do things. I was taught by Martha Stewart to manipulate the eggs a little. When she said to cover the pot and walk away, I immediately got out two eggs and tried her method. I nearly laughed out loud as the eggs went back into their oval egg shape, and I know this is not part of the technique and will probably never happen again. They were so perfect, I hated to break them, but I did because I do love a good runny yolk.
I’ve eaten poached eggs in panzanella. I eaten poached eggs sitting on a bed of asparagus.
As a food blogger I get geeky about researching methods. I will go to countless food blogs to see how everyone else conquers or approaches a cooking technique. I read several methods for cooking eggs, hard and soft. My view of food blogging is that the sum is bigger than the parts and the accumulation of information and kitchen testing improves everyone’s kitchen skills and positively alters their food life. I can’t give the whole food blogging community credit for perfect poached eggs because we certainly didn’t invent them, but I give the community credit for all the documentation of experience. All the methods I read were good including the ones I’ve posted here and my method for ruffled eggs. But, I thought this was so good, that it deserved its own post.
If you try it, I’d love to hear your feedback.
One of my recent poached egg dishes that could be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner is atop sauteed rainbow chard with toasted panko breadcrumbs. (recipe coming).
- Non-stick spray
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Spray saucepan with a non-stick spray.
- Fill saucepan with water about ¾ full. Bring to boil. Reduce to simmer.
- Add in 1 -2 teaspoons white vinegar (you will not taste it) with pinch of salt.
- Crack eggs into bowl so you can slide them into simmering water. Use a spoon and swoop underneath to make sure they don’t stick to bottom.
- Do not stir. Cover for three minutes. Do not take lid off.
- Use slotted spoon to remove. Enjoy.
I also use the vinegar trick – don’t even remember where I learned it, it’s just part of the body of lore that you accumulate in a life of cooking. Something I’ve but recently realized is that the quality of the egg is not just important – it’s critical to making a perfect poached – or fried,or baked, or even scrambled – egg.
It’s late in the Summer here in the Pacific Northwest, and the chickens that have been roaming in our neighbors fields are filled to their gizzards with grubs and goodness. Their eggs have thick shells that take a bit more than a crack on the base of the pan to open them, firm, jelly-like quivering whites and glorious orange-yellow yolks.
With eggs like this, it’s not only much easier to make a perfect poached egg – even the imperfect ones taste so good!! Love your blog, discovered it via a FB friend. You’re inspiring me to re-launch my own food blog.
Cheers
-Jeff
On my way to make them. They are perfect.
ooo thanks for the tip 🙂
That egg is so perfect! I love how it retained its shape!
You’re right about food blogs now serving as instruments for research. Whenever something tricky comes up, we go to the blogs to see what’s out there. You never know what you’ll find. if you say this perfect, we have to believe you!
Poached eggs are one of my favorite breakfasts with a piece of crusty thick toasted bread. This looks beautiful.
I adore poached eggs! That’s how I love to eat eggs if I do eat breakfast. There’s something about that golden, oozing yolk that puts a smile on my face. Your dish is stunning Angela!
I am hopeless at poaching eggs but I just have to marvel at your perfect ovals!
Greg, you just won the prize for the longest comment ever and I LOVE IT. Of course, I’ll try your way too. This is what food blogging is all about.
Okay. You asked. So here goes. I hate the poached egg pot that come with cups. If the egg never touches water it is NOT poached it is steamed. It also does not cook evenly. In order to get the top totally set you have to overcook the bottom (where the yolk sit). A poached egg with a hard yolk is just a messy hard boiled egg. Just have a hard boiled egg instead. Oh heck, while your at it have deviled eggs they are better that way anyway. But you asked about a poached egg and it goes like this: Bring at least 4 inches of water to a simmer or very low boil, in a deep pot. I never add vinegar because I taste it. Instead I break one egg into a sloped-sided tea cup. Always use fresh eggs. If you can’t see the difference between the thicker part of the white and the waterier part of the white, the yolks will probably break in the pan. Use that egg for something else like an omelette. Anyway, once the water is a simmer or low boil I tip the teacup into the water letting a little of the hot water into the cup. Once the white starts to get a tiny bit opaque I gently slide the whole egg into the pot. I use a spoon to make sure the egg doesn’t immediately attach itself to the bottom of the pot. Then I walk away and I don’t disturb it. Timing of course is key. How long depends on how many eggs. I like my yolks quite runny so I’ll cook 4 eggs for 4 to 5 minutes. I have trouble getting good results if I do more than 4 eggs no matter how large the pot. So if I need more I work in batches with a fresh pot of clean water. GREG
I just tried this because I want to make the spaghetti squash hash browns tomorrow, and put the poached eggs on top. My eggs turned out pretty good! I only had apple cider vinegar, and it worked just fine with no taste.
Cooking eggs to please everyone is a tricky business Angela. With practice we can get them just the way we like them but I am quite sure you are right when you say it sometimes a fluke that brings us perfection…or not.
They are indeed beautiful Angela…I will have to try out this technique…
They look fantastic Angela…I too want to head into the kitchen to make these!
They do look perfect. I’m going to try tomorrow morning and will report back.
I use a poached egg an insert that came with the first set of cookware I bought when I was 19 yrs old. That cookware is long gone but I kept the insert so I’ve never tried them any other way; especially because they seem so problematic. I’ll try this though…would be even easier than the insert!
A perfectly poached egg is tough to beat fro a great meal. I started doing them a bit too..slowly better and better each time.
Is it really this easy? I must try. My family does love an occasional Eggs Benedict, but the eggs are, as you said, hit or miss.
Beautiful! Yes, one must not stir the water. I saw a very interesting demonstration by Heston Blumenthal on TV…
Cheers,
Rosa