How to Make a Poached Egg

Poached eggs are a luxurious choice that is less commonly found at breakfast tables, as making a poached egg requires skill and experience to achieve a perfect result. There are much easier ways to cook eggs, but I’ll make it simple with my special tip at the end.

Not everyone likes poached eggs, but those who do know how delightful it is to have one as part of a special breakfast dish. A poached egg is essentially an egg cooked in hot water (like a hard-boiled egg up until this point), but not boiling, and without the shell.

Typically, a bit of vinegar is added to the water for cooking. After placing the egg into the hot water, the egg white firms up during cooking, while the inside remains delicious and runny, depending on the desired doneness.

Ingredients:

Egg (as needed)
Water (at least 4-5 cm deep)
Vinegar (about 1 tablespoon)

How to Make a Poached Egg:

Heat water to a depth of at least 4-5 cm in a shallow cooking vessel so it’s easier to work with. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to the water.
Before the water reaches a boil, stir it gently to create a whirlpool, and then carefully place the egg into the swirling water.
Let the egg cook until the egg white surrounding the yolk (the yellow part) completely firms up and becomes white. Transfer the egg to a serving dish with a slotted spoon.

Tips for Success:

It’s important to place the egg in the water while the whirlpool effect is still active to help the egg whites envelop the yolk nicely.
To achieve a soft poached egg, remove it as soon as the egg white is fully firmed but the yolk remains runny.

How to Cook Poached Egg the Simple and Easy Way

Use a metal ladle for soup, crack the egg into it, and gently dip it into the boiling water without allowing any liquids to enter the ladle until the egg starts to cook slightly.

During cooking, you can rotate the ladle gently over the boiling water in the pot (as if throwing the egg into a whirlpool of boiling water).

You can cook the egg this way until it’s ready to serve or transfer it to water when the eggs are more stable for further cooking.

Upgrades for Poached Eggs:

After cooking, you can sprinkle chopped herbs such as chives, green onions, parsley, cilantro, etc., on top.
Serve the poached egg on toast (to eat with a knife and fork) so that the toast can soak up the yolk’s delicious runny consistency.
It pairs wonderfully with avocado and leafy greens like baby arugula.
Enjoy the poached egg inside a croissant with various types of cold cuts.

Good luck and bon appétit!