Poached eggs form the foundation of many popular dishes like Eggs Benedict. Read my tips on how to make the perfect poached eggs.
Poaching an egg involves slipping a shelled egg into barely simmering water and gently cooking it until the egg holds its shape. These delicate eggs form the foundation of many popular dishes such as Eggs Benedict or Florentine, but many people are intimidated by the thought of poaching an egg at home. The truth is that it’s actually quite easy to do if you know the proper technique.
How To Make Perfect Poached Eggs
- Prepare the water- Fill a wide pan or pot with water to a depth of at least 3 inches. Add about a tablespoon of vinegar and a small amount of salt (about 1 ½ teaspoons salt per ½ gallon of water). Bring the water to a gentle simmer- you should see small bubbles periodically rise to the surface.
- Prepare the eggs- Crack the eggs into individual ramekins or cups.
- Put the eggs in the water- Gently pour the eggs from the cups into the poaching liquid. The eggs will drop to the bottom of the pot and then rise to the surface.
- Cook the eggs- Poach the eggs for 3-4 minutes. A properly poached egg should have a fully coagulated egg white with a yolk that’s partially set (slightly thickened but still flowing).
- Remove the eggs from the water- Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and blot on a paper towel to remove any excess water. Trim the edges with a knife if they’re ragged.
- Serve- Serve poached eggs on toast or as desired.
Tips For Perfect Poached Eggs:
- Make sure that you have plenty of water in the pan (at least 3 inches deep) so that the eggs are completely submerged and don’t stick to the bottom of the pot
- Get the water to the right temperature. It should be at a gentle simmer (185-200 degrees F), which is just below boiling. If the water is too hot and is boiling rapidly, the eggs will become tough.
- Use fresh eggs. As eggs age, the whites become more fluid. The fresher the egg, the more centered the yolk will be and the less likely it is that the whites will spread out and become ragged
- Add a small amount of acid (usually vinegar or lemon juice) to the water. Generally, about 1 tablespoon of acid should be used for every ½ gallon of water. It helps the egg whites hold their shape so that you don’t end up with ribbons of egg white floating throughout your poaching liquid.
- Some people like to use the whirlpool method where you swirl the water with a slotted spoon to form a vortex and then drop an egg into the center. This may help the egg hold its shape as it cooks. This method is hard to do if you're cooking multiple eggs but if you're just poaching one egg, you can add this step.
Frequently Asked Questions
It could be that you're using old eggs. The egg whites in fresh eggs have a more gel-like consistency while older egg whites become looser and more watery. The fresher the egg, the tighter it will poach, giving you less wispy white bits. It could also be the way you're putting the eggs in the water. The best method is to crack the eggs into ramekins or bowls and then gently drop them into the simmering water one at a time. Finally, to help the egg whites set more quickly and prevent feathering, add a tablespoon of vinegar to the poaching water.
You're probably either cooking them for too long or cooking them at too high of a temperature. The poaching water should be at a gentle simmer, not a boil. Boiling the eggs will toughen them.
Yes, in fact many restaurants make them ahead of time and then reheat them when ready to serve. If you do this, you should place the poached eggs in an ice bath to stop any carry-over cooking. Store the eggs on a paper towel-lined plate. Then when you're ready to eat, heat the eggs in a hot water bath for about a minute.
Poached eggs can be served simply on toast with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. They are classically used to make Eggs Benedict. But they can also be added to a wide variety of dishes- the possibilities are endless! Try putting a poached egg on avocado toast or a bowl of savory steel cut oats in the morning. Add poached eggs to your salads. It's a great way to add a boost of protein and transform a salad from a side dish to an entree. I like to add poached eggs to soups like ramen bowls or use them to top grain bowls like my Korean Rice Bowls.
Now that you know the proper technique, get cracking! Try my Spaghetti Carbonara with a Poached Egg- it's the ultimate comfort food!
More Tasty Egg Recipes
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Deviled Eggs
- Ultimate Chilaquiles
- Spinach, Mushroom and Gruyere Strata
- Korean Rice Bowls with Turkey and Mushrooms
- Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce
- Ultimate Breakfast Burritos with Sweet Potato Hash
- Walnut-Crusted Toad in a Hole
Recipe
Perfect Poached Eggs
Equipment
Ingredients
- water
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Prepare the water- Fill a wide pan or pot with water to a depth of at least 3 inches. Add about a tablespoon of vinegar and a small amount of salt (about 1 ½ teaspoons salt per ½ gallon of water). Bring the water to a gentle simmer- you should see small bubbles periodically rise to the surface.
- Prepare the egg- Crack the egg into a ramekin or cup.
- Put the egg in the water- Gently pour the egg from the cup into the poaching liquid. The egg will drop to the bottom of the pot and then rise to the surface.
- Cook the egg- Poach the egg for 3-4 minutes. A properly poached egg should have a fully coagulated egg white with a yolk that’s partially set (slightly thickened but still flowing).
- Remove the egg from the water- Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and blot on a paper towel to remove any excess water. Trim the edges with a knife if they’re ragged.
- Serve- Serve poached egg on toast or as desired.
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