# Poached egg help



## Little Miss J (Oct 2, 2005)

Have recently been poaching eggs, even made eggs bennedict - hollendaise and everything and it worked! However one of the eggs seperated (the egg while poaching not the sauce) and I cant work out what I did wrong?

As I am new at poaching eggs I am sure that their is something I can do to stop this from happening. Help!


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## AllenOK (Oct 2, 2005)

Add just a little bit of vinegar (like a teaspoon or less) to a cup or two of water for the poaching.  I always crack an edge into a coffee mug, then pour that into the poaching liquid.  The vinegar helps to hold the egg protein together.  Use a slotted spoon to remove the egg.

I always heat the water just until it starts to simmer, add the egg, and turn the heat to low, and let the edge poach, uncovered.  This way, the pan will not boil.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Oct 2, 2005)

For traditional poaching, you can't beat the advise given by AllenMI.  He knows his stuff.  I'd also add a bit of salt to the water, to flavor the otherwise bland egg-white.

But the way I poach my eggs is with a poaching pan.  This pan has been a favorite of mine since I was a small child, watching my grandpa making wonderful poached eggs, with a solid white floating in butter, lightly salted, and a liquid yolk just wating to be placed on toasted bread, or an english muffin.  I have owned a few poaching pans since those days, even plastic poaching trays for the micro-wave.  I now have a good one that poaches four eggs and has removable non-stick-lined cups, with little handles, and a glass lid so I can see when the eggs are done.

Should you get this type of pan, if you want to poach less than four eggs, simply fill the unused cups with water.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
I think I'm going to go poach me an egg.


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## Little Miss J (Oct 3, 2005)

thanks for the tips guys....i have been using vinegar but might try a poaching pan.  I am guessing that way the eggs have to stay in one spot!  I also think I may've had the water too hot as it was boiling rather than simmering.

Have used the microwave ones but I just don't think they taste the same! and they tend to explode all over my microwave...a bit too temperamental for me! (I am one of those crazy people that don't like a really runny egg yolk).


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## marmalady (Oct 3, 2005)

I use the poaching pan, too - even though it's not considered 'traditional' - but I love the way the eggs come out all nice and symmetrical! Besides, it's the way my gramma made them!


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## clasens (Jan 15, 2006)

*poaching*

The eggs seperate when they're not totally fresh.  I know this because we have chickens and when I poach them they come out perfect.  The vinegar is the perfect way to overcome this problen though.


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## QSis (Jan 15, 2006)

I like a runny, not raw, yolk.  Is three minutes about the amount of time to poach for that result?

Lee


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## Gretchen (Jan 15, 2006)

Another "tool" for poaching eggs is the ring of  a canning jar.  Butter it a bit, put in the water and slip your egg into this.  
As far as time, turn the water down to a simmer so the eggs aren't disturbed and "baste" the top of the yolk with spoonfuls of hot water to cook the top. Take it out when it is at your desired doneness.  Hard to tell if 3 minutes is it or not.


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