ive been poaching my eggs most days now using the ‘hot water out of the tap into a saucepan til the kettle boils’ method and this works great every time. for me, this method gives you better versatility over the OP method as the waters probably not quite as hot, and so you can leave eggs in longer before cracking into the pan.

when using OP method i found if you left them in too long (even by 10 seconds or so) they started to solidify in the shells, this way they never do.

just tried this again and it does work a treat. i left the eggs in the water longer this time, 15 seconds for eggs fresh from the fridge. 4 perfect poachies!

Glad to say that the hot water in shell/shallow pan/cider vinegar/not actually boiling/ make a gentle whirlpool technique made a perfect poached egg for my lunch – way better than the cling film ones you get at the pub.

Using my hot tap to fill the pan then onto the stove set at no 11 (No vinegar of any description), my eggs poach straight in the pan in exactly the same time it takes my bread to toast, and during that time ive aeropressed my coffee.

Life doesnt get much better than having this element of timing in it.

agree with the hot tap method. the 15 seconds exactly doesnt leave much room for error, ive had a fair bit of egg white solidifying on the inside of the shell before. whereas, i can leave the eggs in hot tap water without timing, just leave em in whilst kettles boiling and toast is er…toasting, then crack em when ready, no white wastage, its all good.

not dissing the 15 secs in boiling water, itll work the same, its just you got to be sooo exact for a good result.

I wish this thread would die. Every time I see it I have to make poached eggs!

Some of the food photos in this thread look like those unappetising photos you see in cheap cafes…

All a bit of hard work if you ask me. I prefer: “two poached eggs on toast and a double espresso please”.

I had poached eggs this morning. 😀

Saw Simon Rimmer talking about this, dead simple. Use fresh eggs. The fresher the eggs the less they break down into the water. Works 100%

Some of the food photos in this thread look like those unappetising photos you see in cheap cafes…

It’s actually pretty hard to take appealing food photos. When they do it for adverts etc they put ludicrous amounts of effort into it.

Saw Simon Rimmer talking about this, dead simple. Use fresh eggs. The fresher the eggs the less they break down into the water. Works 100%

Works 100% if you can get consistently fresh eggs. Unless you’ve got your own hen good luck with that. My tip eliminates the need for it though really.

There’s little to no mention of poaching TIME. Plenty of de-chilling times mentioned but not the time betwixt unleashing into the water and collecting for your plate.

I find breaking the eggs into a saucer rather than straight into the pan makes a big difference.

There’s little to no mention of poaching TIME. Plenty of de-chilling times mentioned but not the time betwixt unleashing into the water and collecting for your plate.

I put the eggs into simmering water, pop lid on, turn off heat and take them out 3 minutes later.

I lift em up with a slotted spoon and prod the yolks (gently of course) with my finger to see how firm it is. Works for me.

i usually give the pan a bit of a wobble, you can usually tell whether theyre ready or not, same when i take em out, bit of a wobble on the spoon, make sure theres no snot left. works for me, always pretty much perfect now thanks to this thread.

CPR bump…

I tried various ways and the one I quoted is most definitely easiest. Personal taste aside, the best base is by far this…

simondbarnes » Toast? Surely it has to be steak

I’m a fan of Marmite and was eager to try Grum’s suggestion but that is just awful. I mean really **** awful. Jarring, even.

The most surprising complimentary taste combo was a total accident – dried dates. Don’t ask my how or why, it just happened and it has to be tried before being dismissed.

My apologies for the revival if, like me, you’ve eaten far too many eggs off the back of this thread and are sick to death of them.

CPR bump…

CPR? Christ these poached eggs really are killers.