The Easiest (and Cutest) Poached Egg Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to making perfect poached eggs? ›

For even poaching, ensure the eggs are submerged in a few inches of water. A cook time of just 2½ minutes yields poached eggs with set whites and runny yolks. If you prefer firmer yolks, poach the eggs for 4–5 minutes, or until the yolk no longer jiggles when pressed.

I love eggs, Betty. Add equal parts of water and vinegar to a bowl, then crack in your eggs, leaving them for at least 10 minutes. They'll form a soft layer on the outside. so when you boil them, you don't get all those splugy bits, resulting in the best poached egg you've ever had.

We have three of the easiest techniques: the whirlpool method, the frypan method, and the oven method for perfectly runny yolks and tender whites every time. Set yourself up for success with the right eggs. What type of egg is good for poaching?

A really soft poached egg should take around 2 minutes and a soft-to-firm one will need 4 minutes (it depends on the size of the egg and whether you're using it straight from the fridge). To check if it's done, carefully remove your egg from the pan with a slotted spoon and give it a gentle prod with a teaspoon.

Stir the water to create a gentle whirlpool which will help the egg white wrap around the yolk. Then carefully slide the egg into the water making sure the heat is low enough not to throw the egg around - there should only be small bubbles rising. Cook for 3-4 mins, until the white is cooked through.

Pour 2 tablespoons of vinegar into the poaching water. Crack open eggs one at a time, into a small bowl. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce temperature. When water reaches a gentle simmer, pour egg into a ladle.

For any use. Soak the eggs in vinegar for 10-12 minutes to set the egg white.

For consistent results, we recommend using a stainless clad saucepan. The cladded construction offers excellent temperature control and heat retention, making it much easier to achieve—and maintain—the gentle simmer you'll need for proper poaching.

You can also poach several eggs at once, but make sure there's room in your pan for each one to have a little elbow room. Crack them into separate measuring cups and slip them into the water one by one. You'll also need to extend the cooking time by about 30 seconds for each extra egg.

"Vinegar is an inherently acidic material, so if we add a few drops of vinegar into that boiling water that is going to increase the rate of denaturing and it's going to make that happen faster and help the poached egg hold its shape better."

How do you keep poached eggs from getting watery? ›

Eggs with a softish shell are highly likely to have watery whites. It is only when you have watery whites or older eggs to use that a poaching gadget may be useful, but adding white wine vinegar to the poaching water instead will help keep the whites together better.