# Microwave poached eggs?



## Janet H (Sep 29, 2010)

I have a little gadget for making poached eggs in the microwave that I've never used. It looks like this:
.

.
The directions say to put a little water in each side (1/2 tsp) add eggs, cover with plastic lid and cook on high for one or two minutes.  I am highly skeptical but it looks so simple that I'm willing to give it a whirl. Has anyone ever tried poaching eggs in the microwave?  How are your results?  Any warnings before I try?


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## 4meandthem (Sep 29, 2010)

You need to prick the yolks or the eggs will bounce off the ceiling of the micro.Happened to me!


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## Andy M. (Sep 29, 2010)

I once cracked an egg into a flat plate and microwaved it to go on top of some hash.  When it exploded, I thought a bomb had gone off.  It took me quite a while to get the egg out of all the nooks and crannies of the microwave.


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## Uncle Bob (Sep 29, 2010)

Janet said:
			
		

> I'm willing to give it a whirl.



So..you are waiting for???


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## 4meandthem (Sep 29, 2010)

uncle bob said:


> so..you are waiting for???


 

eggsacly!


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## Janet H (Sep 29, 2010)

Uncle Bob said:


> So..you are waiting for???


Breakfast..

I'm a little timid here as I have a BAAD track record... the last time I cooked eggs in a microwave was years ago and before microwaves were commonly used.  Someone told me I could hardboil eggs and so I popped 6 eggs into a commercial microwave and hit go.  The mess that followed was awful. They exploded and cooked to the sides, top and bottom of the oven.  Seems predictable in hindsight - but back then I had never used a microwave....

In the years to follow I learned to cook vast quantities of eggs in scarier machines (pressure steamer) with good results - but the memory of that scalded on mess in my first microwave still makes me cautious.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 29, 2010)

Andy M. said:


> I once cracked an egg into a flat plate and microwaved it to go on top of some hash. When it exploded, I thought a bomb had gone off. It took me quite a while to get the egg out of all the nooks and crannies of the microwave.


 
I'm Sorry!

I have nothing more to add...{snigger}


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## Andy M. (Sep 29, 2010)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I'm Sorry!
> 
> I have nothing more to add...{snigger}



I think that explosion took years off my life.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 29, 2010)

I have cracked an egg over pre-heated hash and put back in the microwave for another minute without problems.  But, I've never tried to poach eggs.  I'd go ahead and try it, but put a paper towel over the whole thing to save some clean-up if things go boom!

Andy, Really I am sorry!


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## Janet H (Oct 3, 2010)

*How to clean cooked egg out of microwave*



Uncle Bob said:


> So..you are waiting for???



Today was the day. Sunday brunch  = eggs Benedict.

The plastic microwave egg cooker holds two eggs but I needed 8 so this seemed like a good oppertunity learn how to use this gadget via repeated use.  It sounded reasonable.....

Following the directions exactly the first two eggs went in for 60 seconds. Not quite cooked enough for my taste but one o fthe hungry hoard waiting for food volunteered that it looked perfect.

Next two eggs: 70 seconds. Perfectly cooked soft (very soft).  But I like em not so runny and figured that another 10 seconds would be perfect.

Next two eggs: 80 seconds.  We will never know if 80 seconds renders the perfect eggs. At 72 seconds the lid blew off the eggs and they exploded, splattering the oven with egg juice. In the few seconds I took me to get across the kitchen and turn off the oven, the eggs fossilized on the walls of the microwave.  

I tried several cleaning options... paper towels just smeared what little was uncooked around more.  Glass cleaner made the fossilized bits shine in the glow of the oven light. A hot soapy sponge didn't touch the egg stalagtites, not the green scrubby side.

How to clean fossilized eggs off the inside of a microwave: Use glass cooktop cleaner - follow instructions. Rinse, repeat.
*
How to poach eggs:*



Heat 3 inches of water in large saucepan to boiling on stove top. Lower heat to keep liquid simmering gently. (optional addition = 1 T vinegar to help keep eggs in tack)
Crack eggs, 1 at a time, into custard cup or saucer. Hold dish close to surface and gently slip egg into water.
Cook eggs until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not stir. Remove eggs from water with slotted spoon. Drain in spoon or on paper towels. Trim away any rough edges. Serve immediately. 3 mins for runny eggs, 4 for somewhat set and 5 for hard cooked.


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## Andy M. (Oct 3, 2010)

Andy M. said:


> I once cracked an egg into a flat plate and microwaved it to go on top of some hash.  When it exploded, I thought a bomb had gone off.  It took me quite a while to get the egg out of all the nooks and crannies of the microwave.




Janet, you can't say I didn't warn you.  I feel your pain.


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## Janet H (Oct 3, 2010)

Andy M. said:


> Janet, you can't say I didn't warn you.  I feel your pain.



Yup - you were right


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 3, 2010)

Janet, I'm so sorry!  It's too bad it didn't work well.  I'm really sorry I'm trying not to LOL!  They are tears of sorrow....really!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Oct 3, 2010)

Coddled eggs - easier than poached eggs, no vinegar required:
Heat water to boil.  Add 1 tsp. salt.  Stir to dissolve salt.  Reduce heat until water no long moves, not even little bubbles. Genlty slip eggs into the water, one at a time.  Let sit in hot water until whites are completely set.  Remove with slotted spoon and place on top of toast, or English Muffins.  Eggs are already seasoned perfectly from the salt water.  Add pepper if desired, or top with Hollandaise Sauce.

Favorite poached eggs.  Use egg poaching pan.  Fill bottom with water.  Add 1/4 tsp. butter to each egg cup.  Place in egg cup tray when the water is boiling.  Add the raw eggs to the egg cups.  Lightly salt.  Cover with glass lid.  Cook until whites are just barely, but completely set.  Serve on top of buttered whole wheat toast.  Buttery/eggy goodness, yummmm!

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Zhizara (Oct 4, 2010)

Thanks, Goodweed, for the tip about salting the water.  I think I'll try that.  My mom used to take a buttered slice of whole wheat toast torn up into a mug with a scooped out soft boiled egg or two on top.  

I used to cook poached eggs by just  getting that soft boil going and cracking the egg into a cup and sliding it into the water.  It's an easy way to get the over easy yoke without using some kind of grease and frying it.

I never tried to microwave an egg.  I was lucky enough to hear the horror stories first so I was never tempted to try it.  For those of you who have and have suffered for it, I feel for you.


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## msmofet (Oct 4, 2010)

Janet H said:


> Today was the day. Sunday brunch = eggs Benedict.
> 
> The plastic microwave egg cooker holds two eggs but I needed 8 so this seemed like a good oppertunity learn how to use this gadget via repeated use. It sounded reasonable.....
> 
> ...


 OH MY LORD!! I hurt myself trying not to spit my tea out my nose and onto the monitor and cause me to have a PERM!! Which resulted in wet undies!!


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## Moon Flower (Oct 4, 2010)

Janet H said:


> I have a little gadget for making poached eggs in the microwave that I've never used. It looks like this:
> 
> The directions say to put a little water in each side (1/2 tsp) add eggs, cover with plastic lid and cook on high for one or two minutes.  I am highly skeptical but it looks so simple that I'm willing to give it a whirl. Has anyone ever tried poaching eggs in the microwave?  How are your results?  Any warnings before I try?



After experiencing an exploding jacket potato from my stupidly not  pricking it before placing it in the microwave, I adopted the same and  pricked the eggs in a similar contraption, but the results weren't good because our microwave settings vary so widely.

All these little gadgets take up so much clutter in our kitchens. So by far the best most tried and trusted  method is to boil a kettle of water, pour into a pan on an already hot  stove, break your yolks and albumin into the water, and poach. We have a Dualit toaster and its clockwork timer is perfect to poach an egg in almost exactly the same time as doing a slice of yummy toast.

As simple as ABC.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Oct 4, 2010)

Moon Flower said:


> After experiencing an exploding jacket potato from my stupidly not  pricking it before placing it in the microwave, I adopted the same and  pricked the eggs in a similar contraption, but the results weren't good because our microwave settings vary so widely.
> 
> All these little gadgets take up so much clutter in our kitchens. So by far the best most tried and trusted  method is to boil a kettle of water, pour into a pan on an already hot  stove, break your yolks and albumin into the water, and poach. We have a Dualit toaster and its clockwork timer is perfect to poach an egg in almost exactly the same time as doing a slice of yummy toast.
> 
> As simple as ABC.



My grandparents had a toaster with a clockwork timer years ago.  That thing made perfect toast every time.  You just pulled the timer arm back to the degree of doneness you wanted and let it go.  You could hear the timer doing its thing.  If I could have inherited anything from that household, it would have been that toaster.  Your toaster sounds similar.  

Oh, and for those who don't know, the egg white begins to set at around 175' F., far below the boiling point of water.  I use the coddled method because the moving water of any kind of boil moves the raw egg around, breaking it up too much.  I've heard of other people stirring the water into a vortex and dropping the raw egg into the vortex so that it holds together.  I tried that and it didn't work for me.  Just the opposite happens.

When making egg drop soup, the same thing applies.  Reduce heat until the water quits moving, and drizzle the beaten egg into the still, but hot water to make those long egg strings in the soup.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Claire (Oct 5, 2010)

I had negative experiences with microwaving eggs.  At the very best they turned our rubbery. Could have used them to play tennis.


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## Janet H (Oct 5, 2010)

Just a follow up... after trying one more time to make poached eggs in the microwave, I've given up.  That little gadget should have come with a warning label, some detcord and a hard hat

The egg detonator has been kicked to the curb and is safely buried in deep in the garbage can waiting for the big truck to come and haul it away. I still have some plasticized eggy bits clinging to the fan housing in the microwave and it smells a little odd when running still...

Sigh.


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## Andy M. (Oct 5, 2010)

For future reference, you have to break the yolk before you nuke an egg.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 5, 2010)

Janet H said:


> Just a follow up... after trying one more time to make poached eggs in the microwave, I've given up. That little gadget should have come with a warning label, some detcord and a hard hat
> 
> The egg detonator has been kicked to the curb and is safely buried in deep in the garbage can waiting for the big truck to come and haul it away. I still have some plasticized eggy bits clinging to the fan housing in the microwave and it smells a little odd when running still...
> 
> Sigh.


 
I love your tenacitiy!


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## Janet H (Oct 5, 2010)

Andy M. said:


> For future reference, you have to break the yolk before you nuke an egg.



I did that.  the problem was steam build up.  Directions said to add a little water which I did.  The steam causes several kinds of projectile related issues...

1. Just as the egg/water reaches the point of steaming a little, the flimsy lid blows off the cooker.  It hits the top of the microwave and on the return trip down, plops into the partially poached eggs - sometimes tipping them out of the cooker.

2. At approximately the same time, any water trapped under the egg expands (steam) and causes the egg to: a. flip over or b. pop out of the cooker (again hitting roof or walls of microwave).


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## Moon Flower (Oct 5, 2010)

Goodweed of the North said:


> My grandparents had a toaster with a clockwork timer years ago.  That thing made perfect toast every time.  You just pulled the timer arm back to the degree of doneness you wanted and let it go.  You could hear the timer doing its thing.  If I could have inherited anything from that household, it would have been that toaster.  Your toaster sounds similar.
> 
> Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North




Is this the toaster, do you think?

Toaster - Classic Original, Combi, Sandwich and Bun Toasters from Dualit

They are also made in fancy colours. Ours at home has pale blue ends. They can get hot. Ours has been going for ages. Dualit also have an after sales service and apparently don't charge the earth in repairs and replacements.

The timer on ours pulls back in the same way. It happily clicks away like a busy little clock, and sort of buzzes and makes a loud click once the toast is done. Before using our Dualit we always warm up the toaster panels with one minute on the timer.

My late Gran had a range. To make the loveliest of toast, all she did was put a slice onder the top lid and close it down. She always knew how long the toasted need to do, whereas I cremated mine to charcoal.


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## msmofet (Oct 5, 2010)

Janet H said:


> I did that. the problem was steam build up. Directions said to add a little water which I did. The steam causes several kinds of projectile related issues...
> 
> 1. Just as the egg/water reaches the point of steaming a little, the flimsy lid blows off the cooker. It hits the top of the microwave and on the return trip down, plops into the partially poached eggs - sometimes tipping them out of the cooker.
> 
> 2. At approximately the same time, any water trapped under the egg expands (steam) and causes the egg to: a. flip over or b. pop out of the cooker (again hitting roof or walls of microwave).


 Maybe a rubber band or such to keep the lid on may have helped


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