How Do You Poach an Egg? (+ Top Tips | Multiple Methods)
How do you poach an egg properly every single time? Or how about two or more? Follow my methods and top tips below for the perfect poached egg without a poacher! I'm talking creamy yolk encased in a firm but not rubbery white.
Fill a medium-large saucepan with at least 4-inches of water (10cm) and bring to a sub-boil (the point that bubbles are just starting to form) over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, crack an egg into the fine-mesh sieve over a small bowl. Gently swirl the sieve in a circular motion to allow any watery egg white to filter through into the container below, being careful not to crack the yolk. Then, transfer the egg to a small bowl/ramekin.
Once the water in the pan is in the sub-boiling stage, reduce to a very gentle simmer, and add the vinegar.
Use a spoon to stir the water in the pan, creating a "vortex" (whirlpool), and then gently pour the egg into the center. The swirling water helps keep the egg together and create the shape we're looking for.If you're making 2 poached eggs, allow the first one to gently form and move to the side of a pan before pouring in the second egg (so they don't stick). Any more than two, and it's best to cook them in batches.If you want to poach two eggs as "one," crack the eggs into the same ramekin and very gently tip into the water simultaneously.
Allow the egg to cook, untouched, for between 3-4 minutes (setting a timer as every second counts!), based on how soft you want the yolk to be. I usually aim for 3 minutes, which means the white is set, but the yolk within is wonderfully creamy/custardy still.
When the timer goes off, use a slotted spoon to remove the poached egg/s from the saucepan.You can optionally transfer to an ice bath (which will help stop the residual heat from further cooking the egg), then transfer to a paper towel to drain excess water before adding to your dish of choice.
The Ladle Method
Bring a pot of water to a boil and grease the inside of a clean ladle.
Then crack the egg into the ladle and lower it into the water gently to the top of the water (but not submerged).
Gently allow some water to slip in the ladle, trickling in slowly until it covers the egg.
Cook for between 3-3 ½ minutes, to your desired level and then remove from the water.
Check the blog post for additional methods (for multiple eggs) on how to use clingfilm, still water, and silicone egg cups!
Notes
Why sieve eggs before poaching? The best-poached eggs come from fresh eggs. The longer the eggs age, the more watery the whites can become, leading to lots of stringy bits and off-shoots when poaching. Since we don't know exactly how fresh supermarket eggs are, sieving them is an easy step to do for the best results.To strain multiple eggs: you can use a flat-bottomed colander instead of a fine-mesh sieve. This way, you can crack 4-6 eggs into the strainer simultaneously and even gently lower the entire strainer into a large saucepan filled with water for poaching.Why make a vortex? By creating the swirling vortex in the water, the movement helps to hold the egg together. Ending up in more spherical results, as the egg wraps around itself. Without the movement, eggs can still poach but won't be quite as impressively shaped.More tips:
Use fresh eggs: the fresher the egg (within 2 days of being laid is best!), the better the shape and quality of your poached egg. The longer an egg ages, the waterier the white becomes. Why is the watery white an issue? Because this turns into that stringy, fluffy mess in the water.
Use shallow water: around 4 inches (10 cm) was the sweet spot. Enough water for movement but to avoid the "flattened shape" of ones made in shallow water.
Use a gentle simmer: if the water is boiling too vigorously, it will affect the shape of the egg and cause more breakage/wispy pieces.
Add the egg low to the water: the higher you drop it from, the more chance it may disintegrate, or the yolk can become damaged. So instead, gently drop it into the water right above the surface.
Use a small bowl/ramekin: rather than cracking an egg (even a fresh one) directly into the pan. It makes it easier to control and transfer to the pan.
Avoid adding salt: adding salt to the water results in messy poached eggs with lots of stringy, wispy bits.
When making 2+ poached eggs with vortex: while it's possible to make 2 poached eggs using the vortex method, it takes practice. I recommend mastering one before attempting two at a time.
Practice makes perfect: while using the best methods and tips will help, learning how to make poached eggs is still an art. I'm the only one who sees my morning poached eggs most of the time, so a little bit of wispiness here and there is no big deal!
Check the blog post for the best poaching methods for multiple eggs, answers to top FAQs, and serving suggestions!