This Is How to Cook the Perfect Poached Egg

Since its appearance in the medieval French cookbook of the 13th Le Viandier, poached eggs have served as an aristocratic dish. According to the lifestyle platform Cult.fit, the term “poched” derives from the French word “poché”, which means something like a small bag or purse. This sophisticated cooking method essentially steams the egg to evoke a subtle, almost-perfect delicacy — cooked, almost-crispy whites surrounded by a rich, runny yolk. Whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner, poached eggs serve as the perfect main course and compliment to many, many meals.

However, it takes practice and a skilled hand to achieve this culinary delight. Luckily for us, many of these masters are available online. Today, The Manual walks you through Epicurious’ “amazing new way to poach eggs that never fails.” Via Chef Adrienne Cheatham, we show you how to poach a brunch-quality egg to perfection in under five minutes.

How to make poached eggs

Whether or not to add vinegar has been a hot topic for breakfast enthusiasts, but as you can see, Cheatham is a fan. She notes that she uses white distilled vinegar because it has the right acidity, and also notes that she does won’t absorb the vinegar taste as long as you only soak the eggs for about 10 minutes.

Cheatham also cautions against a classic poached egg technique — swirling your water to create a vortex as the eggs cook — if you’re cooking three or four eggs at a time. She notes that this only works if you cook individually (and who has time for that?)

ingredients

• Three to four eggs
• A cup of white distilled vinegar
• A cup of water
• salt and pepper

Tool

• 3 to 4 liter pot
• Steel pan
• Slotted Spoon

method

1. Pour 1 cup of water and 1 cup of vinegar into a mixing bowl. Mix.
2. Crack the eggs into the solution, making sure to swirl the bowl to keep the eggs separate and to evenly apply the solution.
3. Soak the eggs for about 10 minutes so that the whites set. Finished, denatured eggs appear opaque.
4. Fill your pot with about three to four inches of water.
5. Bring to a mere simmer. Only faint bubbles should be visible at the bottom and steam rising at the top.
6. Take your ladle and carefully scoop each egg and a little solution into the heated water, leaving space between each egg.
7. Boil each egg for two to three minutes, checking for a softened yolk within a firm white.
8. When eggs are done, remove from bowl with a slotted spoon, drain excess water, pat dry on a cloth towel and serve on a plate.
9. Season with a pinch of salt and a few pinches of pepper.
10. Serve alone, on toast, vegetables, meat, or any combination of the three.

Get ready for some awards for your new skills in serving one of the most famous and sought-after delicacies of the last few centuries.

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