Easy Poached Eggs

There are a lot of egg recipes, but the simple poached egg is often a favorite at my house. It is perfect served on top of our toasted English Muffin Bread or as part of a decadent indulgence of Eggs Benedict. Poached eggs are also traditionally served on top of corned beef hash, which is another one of my family’s favorite breakfast selections. However you serve them, poaching eggs is definitely not a difficult skill to master. These simple tips ensure your eggs turn out perfect every time.

How to Poach an Egg

When poaching eggs always use the freshest eggs you can get. Place a tea towel or folded paper towel on a plate and set aside; you will use this to drain your eggs when they come out of the water.

1. Fill a saucepan with about 3″ of water. Acidulate the water with either 1 tsp of vinegar or 1 tsp of lemon juice for each cup of water used. Adding an acid to the cooking water lowers its PH and helps the egg protein cook without breaking apart. Don’t worry, it won’t affect the flavor of the egg.
2. Bring the water to just below the boiling point.
3. Crack an egg into a custard cup or ramekin.
4. With a slotted spoon, stir the water to create a small vortex, then gently slip the egg into the center of the whirlpool. Your egg will gently swirl around and the white will come together and set nicely.
5. When the first egg has moved out of the way, you can slip another egg in using the same method. Be gentle and do not overcrowd the pan.
6. Let the eggs continue cooking until they reach the desired level of doneness. Keep the water just below the boiling point.
7. It’s a good idea to add an extra test egg to the pan, this way you can be sure your eggs are always done exactly the way you like them.
8. When the eggs are done, remove with a slotted spoon and blot on the tea towel or paper towel. Serve immediately.

Note: If you are cooking for a crowd, or you want to prepare your eggs ahead of time, poached eggs can be cooked up to a day in advance. Simply cook the eggs and place them immediately into a bowl of ice cold water. Refrigerate until you are ready to use them. To reheat, bring a saucepan of water to just under the boiling point, add the eggs and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, blot on towel, and serve immediately.

Gently simmer eggs just below the boiling point.

Place eggs on paper towels to drain.

Blot eggs with towels to remove excess water and serve immediately.