How To Poach an Egg: The Video
For a long time we avoided poached eggs out of a misplaced impression that they were extra-difficult or tricky. But they are not! A perfect poached egg is quick, simple, and foolproof. Here’s how we make poached eggs now.
How To Poach an Egg
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1 or more eggs
- White vinegar
- Water
Equipment
Small saucepan
Measuring cup with a handle, or a teacup
Slotted spoon
Timer
Plate lined with a paper towel or clean rag
Instructions
Bring a small saucepan 3/4-full of water to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to low and bring the water back down to a low simmer. There should just be a few bubbles hitting the surface.
Add about a tablespoon of white vinegar to the water.
Crack the egg into a measuring cup or a small teacup.
Slowly lower the cup into the barely simmering water, and tip the egg out into the water.
Set the timer for 4 minutes. The egg white should be immediately coagulating in the water.
Use the slotted spoon to carefully arrange the egg white into a more compact shape, if you desire.
Keep an eye on the water's heat; make sure it doesn't come back up to a rolling boil.
After 4 minutes, turn off the heat and remove the egg with the slotted spoon. Place it on the plate lined with a paper towel and gently blot it dry.
Recipe Notes
• The 4-minute time will give you a gently cooked poached egg, with a gooey yolk that still has a liquid center. Adjust the time if you want it more cooked.
• We find that the vinegar is really essential in helping cook the egg reliably and neatly; it helps coagulate the egg white quickly, so everything stay in place! If you have no vinegar, then the juice of about half a lemon will also do the trick, but it isn't quite as reliable as vinegar.
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(Images: Faith Durand)