# ISO Perfect Poached Egg



## Uncle Bob (Apr 1, 2007)

Please share with me your ideas and methods of poaching an egg!!


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## VeraBlue (Apr 1, 2007)

The water has to be just simmering...no rapid boiling, please.  Make a well in the center of the pot by stirring around the pot quickly.  It will look like the inside of a tornado in the center of your pot.  Slide the egg into the whirl and wait three minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon.

I like to add a tablespoon of white vinegar to the water as well.   I won't do more than two eggs at a time because more will drop the temperature of the water too much.


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## jpmcgrew (Apr 1, 2007)

Make sure the eggs are as fresh as you can get, fresh hold up better.Put one egg at a time into a small container and lay egg gently into the simmering water.You can do several eggs at a time if your pan is big enough let poach till eggs are just set up enough to handle unless you want them more done then remove with a slotted spoon from pan.You can make many eggs ahead by pulling out when just firm enough to handle and drop them in ice water they will keep overnight then you just reheat in boiling water a few seconds.Usually you want to slide a spatula under the eggs when they kinda stick to bottom of pan then they will float and finish cooking.A good teflon pan is good for this.


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## Katie H (Apr 1, 2007)

Guess what, I'm going to cop out?  I have an electric egg cooker.  Got it at a thrift store for $2.  It makes the most perfect hard-boiled eggs.  It also cooks perfect poached eggs without the water, vinegar, etc.  I've done that and can make a decent poached egg using that method.  However, I'm now addicted to my delightful R2D2 cooker.  One of the best features of the poaching part is that the "wells" that hold the eggs are Teflon-coated, which makes the eggs glide right out onto the toast or plate.


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## callie (Apr 1, 2007)

OK...I'm in search, too...I have an egg poaching pan.  You know, 4 little cups in a pan that sets inside of another pan.  You put the water in the bottom one and the eggs in the top.  I have an electric stove.  There is a lid that goes on the pan.  I'm clueless...been experimenting and haven't got it right yet.  I want the whites set and the yolks soft.  Any suggestions here, too?


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## Andy M. (Apr 1, 2007)

Uncle Bob:
Vera hit the nail on the head.

Callie:
Try cooking the eggs with the lid off.  Either that or try separating the eggs and starting the whites then adding the yolks part way through the cooking process.


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## amber (Apr 1, 2007)

I agree with Andy and Vera on the low boil.  I carefully drop my egg into the water and then of course all the white starts to move about sadly, but can be recooperated with a slotted spoon


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## callie (Apr 1, 2007)

Thanks, Andy.  I'll give that a try.


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## Andy M. (Apr 1, 2007)

Adding the white vinegar causes the whites to coagulate more quickly, preventing them from wandering.  

Creating a vortex to drop the egg into causes any straying strands of egg white to wrap around the outer edge of the egg mass rather than wandering off as a stray tendral.


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