How to Poach An Egg {The Mountain Kitchen Tips

Do you know how to poach an egg?

I know it looks intimidating, but I promise the method I’m about to show you will give you the perfect poached egg, every single time.

To me, poached eggs are a kind of a sophisticated way to enjoy eggs. The whites are soft but yet firm enough to encompass the golden yolk in a little round package. It’s soft, silky, delicate and so luxurious, especially when you slice into the yolk with your fork and that deliciously rich yolk runs down over what lies beneath it.

I had never eaten a poached egg until I was in my thirties. I’m not much of an early breakfast eater, so it’s just something that I’ve never had a chance to really pursue. That is until David and I had poached eggs on top of our crab cakes at a restaurant. That was a game-changing moment in my breakfast game. The rich creamy egg made me realize that poached eggs are a must when making certain dishes.

I wanted to learn how to make poached eggs at home, so I did some research to find out the best method to poach an egg. The following is the best method to make poached eggs with white vinegar.

Let’s poach an egg!

Three Tips To Make Poached Eggs:

• Use Fresh Eggs! – Using fresh eggs is key to making perfectly poached eggs. The egg whites of a fresh egg are denser than older eggs. The fresher the egg the tighter the poached egg will be.
• Use White Vinegar! – Some cooks are against adding vinegar to the water when making poached eggs. However, science shows it helps the egg white to coagulate quicker.
• Always Crack The Egg Into A Small Bowl First! – Cracking the eggs into a small bowl first keeps the whites and yolks in a more cohesive package. Submerging the lip of the smaller bowl into the water will deliver them into the water more gently while helping to ensure intact yolks.

HOW TO POACH AN EGG:

There different ways to poach an egg and I learned a lot. Based on my experience, the method I’m about to share with you requires that you gently add eggs to the simmering water with vinegar added to it. This is the most consistent method, which happens to be the most simple way to make a perfect poached egg.

STEP 1: Prepare the water.

Fill a large, pot with 3 to 4 inches of water; bring to a boil. Add ¼ cup distilled white vinegar. Reduce to a gentle simmer: the water should be steaming and small bubbles should come up from the bottom of the pan.

STEP 2: Prepare the egg.

Break an egg into an individual small bowl. This will make it easier to drop the egg into the pot of simmering water.

Use a spoon to vigorously swirl the water until a vortex forms in the center.

Submerge the rim of the bowl into the simmering water, and gently add the egg.

Use a spoon to gently coax the egg white over on itself, if needed.

STEP 3: Poach the egg.

Cover and cook for 4 minutes for soft set, 5 minutes for medium set and 8 minutes for hard set.

STEP 4: Drain the egg.

Use a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a clean dish towel to drain for a moment before serving.

STEP 5: Serve the egg.

Gently place the egg on top of any delicious breakfast creation you desire and enjoy.

It is that simple!

Recipes For Poached Eggs

• Steak Eggs Benedict with Chipotle-Lime Hollandaise
• Asparagus Eggs Benedict With Portobello Mushrooms
• Crab Cakes Eggs Benedict With Skillet Potatoes

May your breakfasts and brunches be forever changed for the better!