# How Do You Make Poached Eggs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 1, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258 "2011-10-01T16:14:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/21 "2011-10-01T21:44:12Z")
> [@turner](#): > > This is the best way I’ve found. by putting the smaller container in the larger pot, everything doesn’t get disturbed by the bubbles from the boiling water. The timing is perfect as well. > > [http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/eggs-benedict-recipe/index.html](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/eggs-benedict-recipe/index.html) That sounds lovely, but eggs cooked in a container are not poached, but [shirred](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirred_eggs). I’ve made shirred eggs, and they are great - you can dress the top of them with herbs and shredded cheese - but Alton does eggs no favors by confusing the issue. And there are no bubbles to deal with, as you shouldn’t put the eggs in the water while it is boiling, but after you’ve taken the water off the heat. ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/22 "2011-10-01T21:58:14Z")
I use John M’s technique, and found the perfect bowls: very tiny tempered glass bowls, 3 for $1.00 at the Dollar Tree. A couple of bucks, and I have a great setup for mise en place for my traditional holiday breakfast of eggs Benedict. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/23 "2011-10-01T22:14:23Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > I use a one quart pot, and do four eggs at a time. I crack one egg into the bowl I use, then slip it into the water. Crack another one and slip it in clockwise of the last one, working my way around at 30 second intervals. Let them all cook, then start pulling them out with a slotted spoon at 30 second intervals. If I’m going to do more than that, I’ll bring the water back to a boil, kill the heat and repeat. Your technique seems pretty easy. I’m going to try it tomorrow. Nothing like a good breakfast of eggs on a Sunday morning. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/24 "2011-10-01T22:23:13Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > I use a one quart pot, and do four eggs at a time. I crack one egg into the bowl I use, then slip it into the water. Crack another one and slip it in clockwise of the last one, working my way around at 30 second intervals. Let them all cook, then start pulling them out with a slotted spoon at 30 second intervals. If I’m going to do more than that, I’ll bring the water back to a boil, kill the heat and repeat. That sounds like a good reason not to spin. When you do spin, all the eggs end up together in the middle, or everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/25 "2011-10-01T22:39:29Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I don’t poach my eggs, but I frequently ‘steam’ them. It’s kind of similar to poaching, I think. I think falls into the basted egg category. Where do you get Crystal hot sauce in the PNW? ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/26 "2011-10-01T22:47:10Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > I have a little thing for the microwave- you put your cracked eggs in with a little water, cook on half power for a minute and a half, et voila! Easy poached eggs. Something like [this](http://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Microwave-Cavity-Poacher/dp/B00004W4UR/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317508919&sr=8-1)? That’s the gadget I use … very quick and easy, but I expect the result is inferior to properly poaching the eggs. And giving how easy that seems to be, from reading the rest of this thread, I’m not sure why I bother … ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/27 "2011-10-01T23:01:14Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Where do you get Crystal hot sauce in the PNW? I don’t remember. (I prefer Tabasco; it’s a little hotter.) I _think_ it might have been at The Market. There are four, according to the website: Birch Bay, Fairhaven, Bellingham, and Anacortes. The company also owns Cost Cutter. Of course you can always get it from [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_10?field-keywords=crystal+hot+sauce&url=search-alias%3Dgrocery&x=0&y=0&sprefix=crystal+ho). ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/28 "2011-10-01T23:24:04Z")
I like those teflon-coated pans that fit into a skillet with lid. It’s not poached, really, but IME poached eggs either come out right, or you have to toss them because they’re gross. I’d use a little insert pan or a dedicated pan for at home – save yourself a bunch of time. “FatGuy” at that other site had a good tutorial from behind the scenes at Tavern on the Green (NYC) IIRC, but that just illustrates how much margin of error a pro outfit can take on with eggs. OTOH, if it’s your baby and you’re making some special breakfast, get a dozen FRESH eggs and plan on half of them turning out right. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/29 "2011-10-02T00:14:15Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > I have a little thing for the microwave- you put your cracked eggs in with a little water, cook on half power for a minute and a half, et voila! Easy poached eggs. My microwave, which is a practically brand new GE Profile, doesn’t do the eggs right unless you get them EXACTLY in the middle. The reality is that you have to pause it at least once and reposition if you don’t want it overcooked on one side and undercooked on the other. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/30 "2011-10-02T01:08:56Z")
I use one of the three-up, sit on top of the pot of boiling water, things. Lightly simmering water, the cooking surface is VERY nonstick. 5 minutes, 15 seconds, EXACTLY. May not be ‘really poached’ to the snobs, but they’re perfect, every single time. Then they get placed on top of a piece of buttered toast, pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper, in a glass bowl that has a chicken or bunny lid. You MUST have a chicken or Bunny vessel. It is imperative. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/31 "2011-10-02T01:37:37Z")
> [@Unintentionally\_Blank](#): > > I use one of the three-up, sit on top of the pot of boiling water, things. Lightly simmering water, the cooking surface is VERY nonstick. 5 minutes, 15 seconds, EXACTLY. > > May not be ‘really poached’ to the snobs, but they’re perfect, every single time. I don’t think it’s snobbery to use a word correctly. Every definition of “poached” that I’ve seen stipulates “cooked in water” rather than cooked in a pan. One of the things I love about poached eggs is the surface texture of the whites. It is completely different than an egg white that has been in contact with a surface while cooking. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/32 "2011-10-02T01:44:41Z")
Well I’ll be happy with my _coddled_ eggs then. 😉 > [@wikipedia](#): > > Alternatives > > The term is also commonly, but incorrectly, applied to an alternative method whereby the egg is placed in a cup, suspended over boiling water, using a special pan called an “egg-poacher”. This is usually a wide-bottomed pan with an inner lid, with holes containing a number of circular cups that each hold one egg, with an additional lid over the top. To cook, the pan is filled with water and brought to a boil. The outer lid holds in the steam, ensuring that the heat surrounds the egg completely. The cups are often lubricated with butter in order to effect easy removal of the cooked egg, although non-stick egg poachers are also available. > The result is very similar to the traditional coddled egg, although these steamed eggs are often cooked for longer, and hence are firmer. Eggs so prepared are often served on buttered toast. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/33 "2011-10-02T09:30:08Z")
My partner once gave me a Calphalon 6-egg poaching pan. I don’t make poached eggs that often, but I do use the pan and lid for other purposes. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/34 "2011-10-02T16:47:27Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > I make perfect poached eggs, and I[learned how from the Dope](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11402809&postcount=18). > > First off, the “swirling” thing is not really necessary. In theory, it gathers the tendrils of egg white, but I’ve never found it necessary. > > What is necessary is five things: > > Vinegar > Salt > Water > Eggs > Pot > > Anything involving a ring or a special pan is not really poaching. Poaching is done in water. Here is my technique: > > [ol] > [li]Large saucepan filled with 3" of water.[/li][li] Added “splash” (roughly 2 tablespoons) of white vinegar.[/li][li] Added “pinch” of salt (roughly 1/2" teaspoon)[/li][li] Brought to a boil.[/li][li] Removed from heat.[/li][li] Broke egg into bowl.[/li][li] Poured egg into water from bowl to avoid breaking yolk.[/li][li] Left everything alone for 3 minutes (I like my yolk very runny.)[/li][li] Success![/li][/ol] > > Step #5 is the most important. The heat from the burner draws the egg to the bottom of the pan. Didn’t work out so well for me. I did step #5, and the eggs still went right to the bottom. I set the timer for 3:20, just in case 3:00 was too little time, and they were still way undercooked. I like my yolks runny, too, but I like the whites fully cooked. But… fishing them off the bottom wasn’t so bad, and I’ll adjust the time for longer next time. It was the cooking time that mattered most. They weren’t terrible, just undercooked, and that’s easy to fix. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/35 "2011-10-02T17:24:03Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Didn’t work out so well for me. > > I did step #5, and the eggs still went right to the bottom. They’ll sink to the bottom, true. But they won’t stick to the bottom of the pan like they would if the heat was still on. > [@](#): > > I set the timer for 3:20, just in case 3:00 was too little time, and they were still way undercooked. I like my yolks runny, too, but I like the whites fully cooked. > > But… fishing them off the bottom wasn’t so bad, and I’ll adjust the time for longer next time. It was the cooking time that mattered most. They weren’t terrible, just undercooked, and that’s easy to fix. After posting, I was thinking that I really should experiment with a bunch of eggs cooking each to a different degree of doneness and posting times. How were your results in terms of the egg holding together and not having tendrils? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/36 "2011-10-02T17:26:48Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > How were your results in terms of the egg holding together and not having tendrils? They didn’t hold together all that well, but I was able to fish out several big chunks of egg whites pretty easily. ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/37 "2011-10-02T18:40:49Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > They didn’t hold together all that well, but I was able to fish out several big chunks of egg whites pretty easily. Mine usually aren’t very pretty, but once they’re sauced with Hollandaise, no one seems to care! 😃 They’re tasty! ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/38 "2011-10-02T18:51:47Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > They didn’t hold together all that well, but I was able to fish out several big chunks of egg whites pretty easily. Depending on the water in your area, you might have to increase the amount of vinegar. I’m a Kansas City, and it is a very hard water area. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/39 "2011-10-02T20:04:56Z")
When the eggs come out of the water they go right into an ice water bath. That stops the cooking process and removes some vinegar. I do mine for 4 minutes and they come out perfect. Liquid yolk and firm white ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258/40 "2011-10-02T20:23:20Z")
I grew up with the swirling water way, no vinegar or salt, just egg and water. It’s so easy I don’t understand the need for anything else. 😕 However, the delightful concoction above regarding the ‘steamed’ eggs is something I’m going to try next weekend for sure; I love me some breakfast skillets! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-make-poached-eggs/598258.md?page=3)