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Poaching eggs

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I love poached eggs but I never manage to get them right because they always fall apart. I've heard a drop of vinegar in the water is the trick? Can any of you kitchen gods and godesses share your culinary wisdom on making the perfect poached egg?

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  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ballerina wrote: »
    I love poached eggs but I never manage to get them right because they always fall apart. I've heard a drop of vinegar in the water is the trick? Can any of you kitchen gods and godesses share your culinary wisdom on making the perfect poached egg?

    I heard a rumour that vinegar was added just for taste and that over time people have mistaken it to be some sort of coagulating agent. I wouldn't swear to it though.

    Poached eggs are easypeasy with three rules:

    1. Wait until the water is only just boiling - you'll see bubbles starting to form on the bottom of the pan
    2. Use a whisk to get a fast cyclone going
    3. Crack the eggs in from as low a height as you can
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I heard a rumour that vinegar was added just for taste and that over time people have mistaken it to be some sort of coagulating agent.

    It does. It sets the outside of the white quicker so it's leass likely to spread out and you get a more solid poachy egg. Acid is a well known 'cooker' of foods. If you put shellfish in lkime juice, leave for an hour or so, they look like they've been boiled.

    I don't do the whisking thing, you can really only do 1 egg at a time. For me....

    Large frying pan with a lid
    Kettle of boiling water
    Good glug of vinegar (you won't taste it)
    Room temperature eggs (important)

    Put the pan on the cooker on the lowest heat possible, put a glug of vinegar in then fill 1/2 - 2/3 way with boiling water. That will give you the perfect temperature and reduce the ammount of bubbles you get. Bubbles = broken up eggs.

    Take an egg, crack it on the side of the pan then, holding the egg just above the hot water, pull the shell slowly apart and let the egg fall into the water. The less movement in the water (bubbles) and the slower the movement of the egg when it goes into the water, the quicker the outside will set helping it to keep it's shape. Put the lid on, but keep an eye on it as it an come to a boil with the lid on. If the water doesn't cover the egg, just spoon hot water over the yolk if you don't like that uncooked white bit on the top :)

    But those poachers Franki posted are good.

    I want Buck Rarebit now :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    thank yooou rubberskin, I just poached an egg without it falling apart :D overcooked it slightly but oh well
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I just joined the forum to say that the secret to poaching eggs is to only use very fresh eggs. The older they are the more the white will fall apart. No need to swirl the water or use vinegar. I hate vinegary eggs although some don't mind.

    It's the same when frying eggs.. stale ones will spread all over the pan while fresh ones will stay small and neat.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm with Franki on this one. I've always used something like
    http://www.mycopperkettle.com/images/Items/EnduranceEggPoacherBIG.jpg
    Put water in the bottom and eggs in the top. I didn't even know you could poach eggs without an egg poacher apparatus. :blush: But I have an appliance for everything, egg seperating, garlic mincing, onion chopping... who does things by hand now ;)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    my name wrote: »
    I'm with Franki on this one. I've always used something like
    http://www.mycopperkettle.com/images/Items/EnduranceEggPoacherBIG.jpg
    Put water in the bottom and eggs in the top. I didn't even know you could poach eggs without an egg poacher apparatus. :blush: But I have an appliance for everything, egg seperating, garlic mincing, onion chopping... who does things by hand now ;)

    I bought pre-diced onions on Saturday because I hate chopping onions so much. I felt like the personification of laziness :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't use vinegar, I'm not convinced it makes any difference. Bite me :p

    the fresher the egg the less the white will go wispy and spread out - swirling the water does help a bit to keep older eggs neat but it only really works if youre planning to do one at a time.

    I don't poach mine in a frying pan, I use a normal saucepan.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ooohhh. I'll have to look for those! Awesome.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I love poaching egg, sometimes I used vinegar if the poached egg is not perfect, I add my poached egg to my Salad Lyonnaise or sandwiches, or just served simply with toast and a little salt and peppers.
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