Eggs are hugely versatile and nutritious, so it’s not hard to see why they’re included in so many breakfast foods and as ingredients to our favourite treats. While you might have learned how to boil an egg just the way you like them, can fry one perfectly and know the secrets to the perfect omelette, the same might not be said for poached eggs. There is an art to poaching an egg – you don’t want it too runny or too hard, you don’t want to over or undercook. Here are our tips for making the perfect poached eggs every time!
Ok, here’s the basic method.
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil and then reduce the heat (or turn it off if you are on an electric hob)
- Crack an egg into the pot
- Wait 3 minutes
- Remove with a slotted spoon
- Enjoy
Sounds simple right?
Well, poached eggs can easily go wrong, so here are a few tips to help you get it right every time.
Firstly – the length of time the egg is in the water.
For a firm outer and a runny yolk, it is advised that you poach the eggs for no more than 4 minutes. For a slightly softer outer layer, no less than 2. Three minutes is a great option for those that want it in between.
Next, the eggs you use – the fresher the egg, the better it would poach. That’s not to say you can’t use older eggs, but an older one will have a more liquid egg white which will create those little whisps when cooking. The fresher the egg, the firmer the white and the better the end product will be.
No matter how tempted you are, don’t add salt to the boiling water, season the eggs afterwards. Salt will increase the water density which will make the egg float more and can lead to breakages. A definite no if you’re trying to impress someone.
If you’re only making one poached egg, try creating a little tornado in the boiling water and drop the egg into the middle – this will help create a nice round egg, but will only work if you’re only making one egg, otherwise your eggs could combine.
How much water you use is also pretty important, the deeper the pot, the better so use as large a pot as possible with at least 65 ml (that’s around 4 inches) of water.
So there you have it, go forth and create the perfect poached eggs. Do you have any more tips for making tasty eggs? Get in touch with us on Twitter – @dorsetfooddrink. Want to get started? Why not grab some locally laid eggs from here?
