Perfect poached eggs
I always thought poached eggs were hard, but after digging about, here is a fool-proof way to get em perfick.
Ingredients
- Eggs (ideally room temp)
- A little vinegar (optional)
Note: the fresher the eggs, the better they’ll hold together
Method
Put a fair amount of water into a saucepan - enough that the eggs will be fully submerged - and bring it to the boil. Choose a pan that’s big enough to accommodate the number of eggs you’re cooking without them rubbing up against each other.
Add a splash of vinegar - this helps keep the eggs together. Don’t use so much that your eggs taste vinegary though (unless you’re into that).
Strain the eggs
This is a touch controversial, but eggs have two different types of whites: a runny one, and a thicker one that surrounds the yolk. Removing the runny one stops the white from blooming out when you put it in the saucepan and leaves you with a nice, neat ball of deliciousness.
Use a fine strainer and break the egg into it. Let the runny white strain through, then very carefully (so you don’t break it) pour out the yolk and surrounding firm white into a small bowl, ready for cooking. Use separate bowls if you’re cooking multiple eggs.
Cook em
Once the water is boiling and your eggs are ready, remove the pan from the heat.
Carefully slide your eggs into the still water (it doesn’t need to be swirled) so they fall as neatly as possible.
Leave each egg in the water for 3 minutes (maybe a touch longer if your eggs have been in the fridge).
Fish em out
At 3 minutes, use a slotted spoon to remove the egg. Drain as much as you can on the spoon, and then dab gently with a paper towel to remove any remaining watery excess.
Nom them.