No swirling, no vinegar, doesn’t even seem to matter how fresh the eggs are.

Get the water to almost boiling, then put the eggs into the water in their shells and roll them around gently for 10 seconds – then crack them into the pan. Can do several in the same pan.

Super easy and very consistent/aesthetically pleasing results.

Try it!

What jekkyl said

I can’t get on with poaching inserts – bottom ends up overcooked, top not at all.

We just buy fresh eggs and poach directly in a frying pan of boiling water.

If they’ve gone past fresh we just scramble them instead.

Eggs done in a poacher like that look revolting. Straight in the water is how it should be. I will try groom’s method tomorrow.

Normally get decent results with a bit of a swirl in the water. Can’t understand how anyone could use vinegar.

Poaching inserts are right up there with e-bikes IMO. 😉

Might try OP’s tip this lunchtime, fancy a couple of poached eggs on thick-cut, buttered toast. 🙂

Best tip I had was from this forum.

Verbatim…

Warm eggs in a bowl of warm water.

Frying pan of water with just enough water to cover the egg.

Boil water & turn off heat. Just as water stops bubbling, drop in egg. Let it sit there for a couple of mins, spoon a bit of water over the top of the egg for a minute.

Before that I was a clingfilm guy. Really shit when compared to the above method.

Eggs done in a poacher like that look revolting

how does the look affect the taste?

I get good results using a poaching pan, a tiny bit of oil rubbed round the thingy to stop it sticking and they pop out onto toast like little boobies. 😀

Silicon poach pods work better than a poaching pan. Still frowned upon by the purists of course.

Best tip I had was from this forum.

Verbatim…

Warm eggs in a bowl of warm water.
Frying pan of water with just enough water to cover the egg.

Boil water & turn off heat. Just as water stops bubbling, drop in egg. Let it sit there for a couple of mins, spoon a bit of water over the top of the egg for a minute.
interesting, ill have to try that. how warms the water and how longs the warm-up?

tried OPs method and wasnt that happy with it. maybe i left it in the shell a little longer, but there was a trade-off between no straggly bits and some of the ‘warmed up egg’ sticking to the shell as i broke it to plop into the water, so less egg on plate :-/

i also struggle with the egg-poaching pan, never seems cooked on the top.

how warms the water and how longs the warm-up?

I use hot tap water so probably around 60 degrees for as long as it takes to boil enough water (in a kettle) for your pan. I heat the frying pan as the kettle is boiling and then go on with the bubble tip above.

Edit : I don’t spend a minute splashing the top with water; a few splashes should be sufficient. Lift out, let it drain for a sec and dump it on the toast or whatever base you’re using. Or straight down if you’re part of the Hairbear Bunch…

Use cling film. And a small ramikin. Line the ramikin with cling film, drop of butter and seasoning, crack the egg in, “spin” the cling film so it makes a bag, tie it up and drop it in the water. No vinegar, no watery eggs and perfect poachies.

how does the look affect the taste?

I didn’t claim that but it has been demonstrated that it does. Personally I like food to look good on the plate.

Was going to have a couple of poached eggs for lunch. Opened STW on phone and, lo, here was this thread.

Tried the method. One eggshell cracked.

Eggs were usual fluffy mess.

Might have to try a couple more just to be certain…

Microwave on medium.
Egg in bowl , prick yolk and give it 50 seconds.

Not a bad result this lunchtime. About the same as the normal swirl method.

Silicone poach pods here too with a good smear of butter inside.
Don’t care about the purist view, it’s easier than frying.

hmmmm

not looking promising

end result better than feared though

eggs not freshest, date printed on them was 16 march. came from fridge so cold, maybe 10 to 12 seconds in the water needs to be increased?

I’m not too bothered about looks as long as they are a good consistency, not over-cooked or hard yolk.
Having chickens I eat a lot of eggs.
My method is – bring water to boil in frying pan. Crack egg/eggs into pan, when the water is just about to start to begin boiling again, knock gas right down to lowest setting and leave until toasts are done.
A quick lap of the water over the yolk tops and you’re done.
No vinegar or swirling and surprisingly good results.
Not perfectly uniform, but then eggs don’t come out of chickens all the same anyway!

i think if the eggs are fresh then theres not much can go wrong with the straight in the pan method. ive seen the difference by doing a fresh egg and a not so fresh egg at the same time and its true, the fresh eggs stay together.
clingfilm would be my go to method if it wasnt a faff so im hoping the OPs method gets me a good result. ill probs try it tomorrow.

Lots of experimenting has occurred in the White household recently. I’m still somewhat eggbound as a result.

The most successful method was to boil a pan of water then turn the heat right down, so no boiling water bubbles are present. Crack two eggs into a ramekin and gently lower this into and under the water, before tipping the eggs gently into the bottom of the pan. When they whites have some structure, gently tease the two eggs apart. Two minutes in the hot water and you are done. Best served on marmite toast with a good deal of pepper IMHO.

We have been experimenting with poaching in the Instant Pot, works surprisingly well and very consistent results considering you cant see whats going on there. Who would have though that pressure cooked poached eggs would work so well!!

Those pot things are ok but it’s not really the same.

I’ve had very consistent results with the method on 3 different batches of eggs. Possible they were all super fresh but they were from a supermarket so unlikely.

Will post pics next time but they are beautiful. 🙂

just had 3 poached eggs on toast using OPs method. hot water out the tap into a pan, eggs in pan whilst kettle boils, fill a frying pan with kettle water, keep pan on lowest setting so no bubbles, crack eggs into pan.

worked a treat, best poachers ive had in a long time. ill be er…. performing more tests next week 😀

thanks OP

they were from a supermarket

You monster

PLease they were organic

+1 aphex cling film method
booty eggs an f all mess!

You are all genuinely odd.

Boil water.
Add eggs.
Wait.
Remove eggs.

What in the name of Zarquon is wrong with that?

I really don’t get the issue. Boil water, drop temp a touch, swirl, put in eggs, leave 2, maybe 2.5 mins. Serve. Easy.

they were from a supermarket

You monster

You Philistine more like. Your’e an unlucky person If you have to rely on supermarket eggs. I pay £1.50 a doz for free range from a bloke with chickens in his garden. 🙂

Silicon pouches here too, poaching pans take ages.

What a load of fuss.
Boil water, turn down to barely breaking surface, splash of white wine vinegar, as eggs, 2 mins 30, done. Poach pods are toss.

Poach pods are the business.
I like my eggs to taste like egg, not vinegar!

Lift out, let it drain for a sec and dump it on the toast or whatever base you’re using

Toast? Surely it has to be steak 🙂

The vinegar thing is total nonsense. Makes no difference whatsoever.

Just so you all know. No vinegar required, no swirling. Nonsense.

Boiling water, remove from heat egg goes in. 2 mins later remove and enjoy

The vinegar thing is total nonsense. Makes no difference whatsoever.

It does. It makes the egg taste shit.

If the egg tastes of vinegar, you’ve put too much vinegar in. And it does make a difference to how intact they stay.
Don’t get all this frying pan nonsense though.

Source: custodian of many ex battery hens and not being able to bloody give away all the eggs these amazing creatures produce!
Lots of experimentation time…

Boil water in frying pan, I have one with a glass lid. About 1.5 inches of water.

Once boiling turn gas to low

Crack eggs in

Put lid on

Basically the steam in the pan cooks the top of the eggs

Don’t overcook / allow to harden obviously

Done

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fusion-Poachpod-Poacher-Two-Pack-Silicone/dp/B000P6FD3I

Those pods and special pans do not make poached eggs.

Keeping it simple is best, but does require fresh eggs. Otherwise, drain off the watery white by cracking the egg into a slotted spoon, then poach as normal.

Point into the distance and say “look at that massive cockerel”. At which point the hen will look towards where you’re pointing. Now you have her successfully distracted, swiftly remove the egg from under her whilst she’s looking the other way.