# Poached eggs - having trouble



## Jeni78 (Jun 7, 2009)

Hi all,

I realize this is potentially one of the easiest things to do but for some reason I have yet to be successful.

I boil 2 inches of water, then slide the egg into it via small glass. 

The white ALWAYS breaks up and goes everywhere.

Can anyone please tell me what I am doing wrong, or some tips?

I really like poached eggs.

Thanks


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## Mama (Jun 7, 2009)

Here's a great video

YouTube - How to Poach Eggs


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## Andy M. (Jun 7, 2009)

A splash of white vinegar in the water will help set the whites more quickly so they won't spread.

I have also seen where you use a wooden spoon handle or similar to swirl a small whirlpool in the water and drop the egg into that so the swirling water contains the white.

Practice makes perfect.


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## SRL (Jun 7, 2009)

Poaching is at around 180F, not in boiling water. Use a thermometer until you get the hang of it.


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## Jeni78 (Jun 7, 2009)

Thanks so much! I'm going to try again tomorrow morning.


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## lyndalou (Jun 8, 2009)

I saw someone on t.v. do it this way. He(she?) punctured one end of the egg with a pin and then dropped the egg into the water for just a few seconds. Next the egg was cracked into the hot water, as usual. She (he?) claimed that this method starts the white cooking just a bit and helps it to stay together. I've  not tried it, but wonder if it really would work for you and me.


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## sparrowgrass (Jun 8, 2009)

Fresher eggs might help, too.


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## JMediger (Jun 8, 2009)

I'm with Andy, a splash of vinegar (we use apple cider vinegar) keeps ours together.  There are always a few tendrils in the water but not many.


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## Jeni78 (Jun 8, 2009)

Thanks everyone! I tried again and was a little more successful - sort of.

I didn't try the vinegar yet though so perhaps thats tomorrow.

I hate wasting food so I don't just want to cook a bunch of eggs and not use them.

The video did not work out for me. I potentially don't have the right container - the egg did not set inside of the glass.

I think one of my problems is that I have an electric stove (renting) and none of the burners lie completely flat.

Turning the heat down to stop the boiling really helped!

Anywho, here is my progress and here is breakfast "salad."


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## SRL (Jun 8, 2009)

The water needs to be just a little bit deeper than that, or you can spoon a little of the hot water over the yolk as the egg cooks to baste the top of the yolk, but otherwise 2 out of 3 look fine. There is always going to be some albumin left in the water, since it is water-soluble and it gets thinner and runnier as the eggs age.

The suggestions to add something acidic will help set the outer portion of the egg white faster --- depending on how sensitive your palate is, you might find that acceptable. Otherwise, just experiment with temperature and technique and practice will make perfect!


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## msmofet (Jun 8, 2009)

*Poach Pods*

i just saw these and will be buying them soon.


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## Andy M. (Jun 8, 2009)

I think you could cut the top and bottom off tuna cans (and remove the tuna) and use those to contain the eggs during poaching.


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## Jeni78 (Jun 9, 2009)

Thanks a ton for your tips!

I especially feel better after finding out that they make "poach pods" - that tells me there is a demand for help in this particular egg-making area.


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## msmofet (Jun 9, 2009)

Andy M. said:


> I think you could cut the top and bottom off tuna cans (and remove the tuna) and use those to contain the eggs during poaching.


 good idea thats what my aunt did many years ago. but now that they make cans with rounded bottoms so they stack better you can't remove the bottoms that easily any more.


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## msmofet (Jun 9, 2009)

Jeni78 said:


> Thanks a ton for your tips!
> 
> I especially feel better after finding out that they make "poach pods" - that tells me there is a demand for help in this particular egg-making area.


 yeah!! i love poached eggs but rarely make them at home. i am going to buy those pods.


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## letscook (Jun 9, 2009)

I watched Tyler Florence cook them on one of his show and they came out perfect.

He added some vingear about 1-2 tbl.  to the boiling water and then turned it down to a simmer. Just before he added the egg  he took a wooden spoon handle and swirled in the water to make like whirlpool -- a fast one- a gentle one and then dropped it in the middle of it and it all stayed together and looked great. He also used a fairly deep pot not a shallow pan.


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## Jeni78 (Jun 30, 2009)

Hi all, just an update.

So after many ruined eggs. I realized that until I have a flatter cooking surface (the large burners are off, the small ones aren't but then the eggs don't cook), I need to cheat a little.

So I bought this item at a cooking store. It was $4 and in the baking section. I figure I can also cut biscuits with it, little cakes and cookies. I looked at the cooking pods but they want 2 for $12 and they weren't in my color. 

So, my poaching has become loads better, I just need to make sure the eggs set up well enough before I take the circle out.


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## msmofet (Jun 30, 2009)

Jeni78 said:


> Hi all, just an update.
> 
> So after many ruined eggs. I realized that until I have a flatter cooking surface (the large burners are off, the small ones aren't but then the eggs don't cook), I need to cheat a little.
> 
> ...


 good job!! i used to use tuna cans but lost them in a move and now that they make all the cans with one end rounded i can't take both ends off. so those are tall biscuit/cookie cutters?


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## Jeni78 (Jun 30, 2009)

I think it might be for baking fancy cakes. I don't know, there was no description, just a price tag.


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## lifesaver (Jun 30, 2009)

I love poached eggs on buttered toast. Yummy!

Or even over cottage cheese. Another Yummy!


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## msmofet (Jun 30, 2009)

poached eggs in a cup with a bit of butter, broken up pieces of toasted rye or sourdough bread and bits of bacon, smoked counrty ham or sausage all mixed together. yummy!!


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## Mark Webster (Jun 30, 2009)

All great comments about poaching an egg. I use a small to medium size sauce pan and not a saute pan. 
** Make sure to add a pinch of salt along with about a 1/2 tsp of vinegar (like everyone else I like a certain one, usually using champagne vinegar)
** make sure the water is at a good simmer and hot boiling before you add the eggs
** break them in a bowl first and allow each one to slide in the water
** after the egg is in the water for about 20 seconds gently make sure it is not sticking on the bottom of the pan
** do not stir the water at all
** allow to cook for about 3 minutes and then using a perforated spoon remove the eggs from the poaching bath.


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