Ok I couldn’t help myself with the title. It was just too easy.
Today I wanted to share a quick and easy tip on how to make the perfectly poached egg. It’s a nice switch up to your normal sunny-side up or scrambled egg and it is almost just as easy!
It took me years to work my way up to making poached eggs because I don’t actually eat eggs myself. Except in cookies. And fried chicken. (trust me, they’re in there.) So I was always a little nervous about making eggs of any sort. I was most apprehensive making poached eggs because I heard they’re easy to mess up (overcook/undercook), but my husband’s favorite breakfast is eggs benedict, so I decided to surprise him one year for his birthday breakfast. I watched a few different cooking shows and went with the easiest way I could find. It’s almost fool proof and has been working ever since!
Poached Eggs:
- 1-4 eggs, separated by ramekins or bowls (don’t want to use more than 4 so you don’t overcrowd the pan)
- a sauce pan filled with water
- (optional: about 2 teaspoons of white wine vinegar – supposedly this helps the eggs stay together)
Bring water to a full bowl. Separate eggs into ramekins or bowls. Once the water boils, turn it OFF and put in the eggs quickly, one at a time and separate from each other. (add in the white wine vinegar at this time if you have it…if you don’t, no biggie). Put the lid on immediately and set a kitchen timer.
Depending on egg preference, set timer accordingly*
- over easy: 4 minutes
- over medium: 4 minutes, 45 seconds
- over hard: 5 minutes, 15 seconds
*These times are based on the assumption that the water was to a full, rolling boil, right as you put the eggs in.
Use a slotted spoon or spatula to remove the eggs from the water so you get as much water off of them as possible. Do NOT leave them in the water, they will just continue to cook. Top them with a little kosher salt and crushed black pepper. I made them on some english muffins with some crispy bacon this time. You can see that hot sauce was also added last minute:)
Happy poaching! Enjoy 🙂
-T
