First, you need a smallish pan, deep enough so that the egg can be completely submerged in the water, but not so big that it is hard to control the simmer. I get the water to an easy boil, then turn down to a descent simmer. The quality of the egg matters, but I'll confess, these are just local supermarket eggs-not even the ones from the creamery, which are far better.
Crack the eggs slowly into the simmering water, one at a time, get a second or two between so that egg cooks separately. You aren't making egg soup. Watch so that the temp stays at a good simmer, and cook for 4 minutes-no more.
Just like the egg, the better the bread, the better the bread, the betteter the poached egg on toast. This bread was just all right, a 12 grain version. 
With a slotted spoon, carefully take out each egg and place on a slice of toast. Salt and pepper to taste you should have a yolk that is cooked on the bottom so not slimy, with a thoroughly warmed yoke that will be runny when you cut into it.
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I probably make myself poached eggs on toast no more than every couple of months. Only my son shares my fondness for them, and like me, needs them to be cooked to the exact right degree of warmth and runniness. Too long or to hot, which is why it is essential to turn down the heat to a steady simmer after heating it, and the yoke is hard, and the effort is wasted. What are your thoughts? if you eat eggs, are you a runny yolk, hard yolk, blended into the white yolk, or no yolk person? Do you have any other methods for poaching eggs?
Ha, I can't make poached eggs to save my life. I've tried everything. The boiling water with vinegar in, slowly swirling it. The "poach it in the microwave" approach and then ending up cleaning up the microwave. In fact when my brother was dying he told me to take what I wanted from his house. I took a delicate china teacup and saucer and he told me to take his egg poacher because he was tired of hearing me whinge about it. So I did, and I still use it, and think of him every time my poached eggs now turn out perfectly!
ReplyDeleteI've never used an egg poacher-just the water and unless I get distracted, have good success most every time. It is about the right temp of the water-I don't use vinegar.
DeleteHeh. I would never attempt poached eggs without an egg poaching pan. One of my husband's favorite things to cook (and one of the few things he CAN cook) is poached eggs in an egg poacher pan. For years, we had a four-egg poacher pan, and he'd share with DD who would climb on the counter to eat eggs with him, but somehow, one of the egg holders got lost, making it a 3-egg poacher pan. This meant he'd get 1 egg, she would get 2. About 2 years ago, I bought him a very expensive, highly rated 6-egg poaching pan for Christmas, ($39) but the eggs wouldn't slide out of the cups, no matter what he tried. Last Christmas, I was wandered into the thrift shop, and saw EXACTLY the pan we had before, for $3. Guess what he got for Christmas? The 6-egg poacher is now sitting in our garage--I didn't have the heart to donate it, but I didn't want to toss it--the pan and lid are great.
ReplyDeleteNever used an egg poacher-I just do the method described and 19 out of 20 times they turn out great.
DeleteI grew up eating hard-egg sandwiches. Eggs fried and yolk broken and sort of spread over the white to further cook until hard. Scrambled eggs had to be firm. Some days, we did have fried eggs on our plate with only part of yolk done and part runny. Now, I only eat scrambled eggs that are firm. I love hard-boiled eggs. If the yolks are still dark and firm, I will not eat. I want well-done yolks, even in boiled eggs. I have never had a poached egg and know I will never eat one. I love eggs!
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