Coddled Eggs

When I was growing up in London, my Irish father used to make me a variation of coddled eggs: egg-in-a-cup. It stemmed from his childhood in rural Ireland and still holds fond memories for me as the closest thing to a hug in a cup that I’ve ever had! I’ve since passed this tradition on to my kids, and I often get requests to make it — especially if one is feeling under the weather. 

To make it, my dad would put about a couple of tablespoons of salted butter in a mug, then spoon out the contents of a perfectly cooked soft-boiled egg into the mug — all while trying not to get third-degree burns from holding the hot egg. Then, he’d add a large pinch of salt and a generous pinch of ground white pepper. He’d beat the egg into the butter, using a teaspoon, until the butter was melted and melded into the eggs and became a cup of buttery, yolky deliciousness. And he always served the dish with toasted buttered white bread cut into soldiers alongside. These coddled eggs are similar to this cherished dish from my childhood — only easier.

Coddled eggs, thought to date back to the late 1800s in England, were traditionally cooked in porcelain or clay coddlers, which look similar to an egg cup with a lid. “Coddling” essentially steams the egg, in its vessel, in a water bath, yielding a soft, tender egg. The benefit of using this egg, as opposed to soft-boiled eggs, is you can add additional flavors and textures, like bacon, cream, butter, and herbs.

Coddlers can be expensive and hard to come by, and are usually sold as one solo item — which means something as simple as eggs can turn into a pricey breakfast. A modern alternative is to use 4-ounce Mason jars with lids. You can cook a bunch at once, making this the perfect, easy breakfast for large family or friend sleepovers, with minimal morning effort. Serve the coddled eggs in the jar it was cooked in, alongside some hot buttery toasted soldiers.

Although poached eggs are a type of coddled egg and both are usually soft-cooked –poached eggs are cracked into simmering hot water to cook, and coddled eggs are “poached” in a vessel that is placed in hot water. Coddled eggs are more similar to a shirred egg, but instead of being baked in the oven in a water bath, they are cooked on the stovetop in a water bath. 

Coddled eggs are best served straight away, as the yolk will continue to cook in its vessel. However, you can refrigerate leftovers within two hours of cooking and store (covered with a lid) for up to three to four days in the refrigerator.