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How to Make Perfect Poached Eggs

How to Make Perfect Poached Eggs
Poached eggs on top of corned beef and some roasted asparagus in an orange bowl.

Make breakfast easy with these perfect poached eggs. The whites are firm and the yolk is runny, which is ideal for topping on hamburgers, beef or on an avocado.

I grew up eating two poached eggs on a slice of lightly buttered whole wheat toast. My grandma would cut up the toast into bite size pieces then add the eggs on top so that I could soak up as much of the runny yolk as possible with each bite. It was so tasty and I really miss having my grandma make breakfast for me.

As an adult, I tried many different ways to make poached eggs the way she did, with some very frustrating results. I tried the whole swirling the water in the pot, adding vinegar, adding salt, heating then cooling the water… nothing gave me the results I wanted. The whites separated from the yolks, the yolks broke, the yolks became overcooked…you name it.

Runny yolks not for you? It’s okay, check out my recipe for Perfect Scrambled Eggs!

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I was talking about it to my mom one day, and she suggested using a ladle. That was a great suggestion, except the poached eggs still separated, albeit not as much.

Raw eggs in stainless steel egg poaching cups.

I don’t know why I didn’t search the internet for egg poachers sooner. Well, I do know why. It was because I have a kitchen full of gadgets that have a single use. I want to have less stuff not more. But I went ahead and bought some stainless steel egg poachers, and I’m so glad I did.

A quick search for egg poacher online will result in quite a few different types, materials and shapes of egg poachers. While I considered buying a set of the silicone ones, I went with the stainless steel ones because I liked how they hang on the side of the saucepan and you can just tip them and drain out the excess water.

How To Use The Egg Poachers

The stainless steel egg poachers are easy to use, but it took me a couple uses to really get the use of them right. First, you need to adjust them to the height of your sauce pan. I just put it in and let them hang on the edge of the sauce pan and then raise or lower the hook so that the egg poacher rests nicely at the bottom. Then you will want to lightly grease the stainless steel cup. I just spray a squirt of avocado oil and then wipe it with a paper towel and then use the same paper towel for the second one.

Removing the eggs from the poachers can be a little tricky. After cooking, lift the egg poacher out of the water and gently tilt it so that the any water in the cup drains out of the holes at the top of the cup. Just be careful where your hand is, because I have burned myself once doing this. Despite the use of oil on the cup, the egg whites do like to stick. I use a large spoon to loosen the egg and then place it on to my dish.

After poaching the eggs, it’s best to clean the poachers immediately, since the egg whites can be tough to remove. Use a scouring pad or a sponge to get the egg off. The egg poachers claim to be top rack dishwasher safe, but I find it easiest to hand wash them immediately after use.

How to Make Perfect Poached Eggs

How to Make Perfect Poached Eggs

Yield: 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/16 teaspoon avocado oil

Instructions

  1. Fill a saucepan with enough water to cover the egg poachers and heat to a boil.
  2. While the water is heating, lightly oil the stainless steel cups of the egg poachers. Add one egg to each poacher.
  3. Turn the boiling water down to a simmer and add eggs in the poachers into the water, hooking the egg poacher cups on the edge of the saucepan.
  4. Cook for 3 minutes.
  5. Turn off the heat to the burner, and take egg poachers out of the water. Gently tip the poachers towards the holes at the top to drain any excess water.
  6. Use a large spoon to scoop out the poached eggs.
  7. Enjoy.

Notes

You can still add a pinch of salt and a bit of acid, like vinegar, to the water, but I have found that it's not necessary with this method.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 145Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 372mgSodium: 142mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 13g

Nutritional information provided for recipes is a courtesy to my readers. I do my best to be as accurate as possible, but you should do your own nutrition information calculations. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

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