Poached Eggs
I think poached eggs intimidate people because the instructions always seem so complicated. I’ve seen recipes where you have to sieve out the extra egg whites before you cook them, you spin the water to create a little tornado, or you use a special tool that’s made specifically for poaching eggs. I grew up in a poached egg household, and I have a much simpler, even kid-friendly way to get them from shell to table in…oh..3 minutes and 30 seconds. Of course, it might not result in the most beautifully formed whites, but they little jagged edges have always been something that told me that my egg is, well, poached.
Poached Eggs
2 eggs
2 T white vinegar
For the pan, you something that’s wide and fairly deep. I usually use a large saucepan or a saute pan works great. Fill it with water, add the vinegar, and bring it to a boil.
While you’re waiting for the water to boil, crack each egg into its own small bowl or ramekin. You’ll also want to prepare a slotted spoon, some paper towels, and whatever you’re going to be plating it on (plate, toast, etc.) ready to go on the side. This is all a time game!
Once the water boils, turn the heat to medium/medium high (to prevent the water splashing around too violently, but you still want it simmering). Have a timer set for 3 minutes. Carefully, one by one, slip each egg into the water using the bowl it’s in (you can actually place the lip of the bowl in the water and gently slide the egg in - that’s the technique I find works best). Hit “go” on your 3 minute timer.
Wait 3 minutes. You can use the slotted spoon to move the eggs around a little if you want (gently!) to make sure they’re not sticking to the bottom.
When the timer is up, quickly use the slotted spoon to remove each egg individually - let the water drip out as much as you can, and use the paper towels you kept handy to dab excess water off the top - and plate.
(If I’m cooking more than 2 eggs at once, I start the timer once I’ve dropped the first egg in and make note of the order I put the eggs in, usually clockwise. That way when the timer goes off I’m removing the first egg at 3 minutes, and in the time it takes me to get each egg out the additional seconds between them means that they also will have just cooked for 3 minutes - vs. ending up overcooking. Does that make sense?)
Enjoy!