How to Poach an Egg

For years, the skill of poaching an egg eluded me. There are so many tips and “hacks” that people say you must do, but even with those, I kept having failed attempts. Until I learned about one single tip that made all the difference.  I’ll show you how easy it is!  I make poached eggs all the time now.  Did you know you can also make them ahead of time and store in the fridge? This life-changing tip has made it so easy to have something delicious to easily whip up for a breakfast, easy lunch, or snack. I love them on an English muffin, or buttered toast, or on top of a waffle or salad or bowl of black beans.  SO many things are better with an egg on top.  You can do it too!

Ingredient and Equipment List

• A pot of water – I’ve found a deeper pot (at least 4 inches tall) works better than a shallow skillet, because it allows the egg to fall into the water, creating more of that classic tear drop shape. You can poach an egg in shallower water, but the shape tends to be a bit flatter overall.
• Eggs – fresh eggs will poach better than older eggs.
• Fine Mesh Strainer – This is key for straining off the extra liquid from your egg.

How to Poach an Egg

I’ve found the secret to poaching perfect eggs is to place your raw egg in a fine mesh strainer, first. This strains off the loose, watery part of the egg that just makes a mess in your pot anyway. This is the part of the egg that turns into wispy strands once it hits the water. By straining it off, it’s incredibly easy to poach an egg that has a well-shaped tight white. It also keeps your water cleaner and clearer so you can continue to poach more eggs.

1. Start by placing your fine mesh strainer over a bowl. Crack your egg (or multiple eggs) into the strainer and leave them alone. You’ll notice liquid dripping out of the strainer and into the bowl. This is extra watery egg that we want to discard. Leave your egg here undisturbed while your water heats.
2. Fill a pot that’s at least 4 inches tall with water and turn to medium-high heat. You don’t want your water at a full rolling boil. You’re looking for the tiny bubbles that start floating to the top at the very beginning of a simmer. You should see bubbles forming all along the sides and bottom of your pan. Your water should be about 180°F.
3. When your water is ready, gently transfer your egg from the strainer directly into your water. The egg will sink to the bottom of your pan. I like to use a very flexible rubber spatula to gently nudge the egg in a slight rolling motion to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom. This also helps your egg flow into a nice shape.
4. Leave your egg in the water for 3-4 minutes (3 if you like your egg more runny and 4 if you like it more done) and then remove with a slotted spoon. You can place it on a paper towel to absorb any extra water, or place directly on your dish to eat.

How to Poach Multiple Eggs

You may use this process for multiple eggs at once, as many as comfortably fit in your strainer in a single layer and in your pan without touching or crowding. Don’t worry, they won’t stick together in the strainer, just carefully pour them into the water one by one! If cooking multiple eggs at once, it’s important to watch which ones you place in your pot of water first so you can take them out in the same order so they are evenly cooked. For this reason, I personally don’t like poaching more than about 6 at a time. If you need to make a large amount of poached eggs at once, you might want to check out this short-cut hands-off oven method as well!

Serving Suggestions

Here’s a few ways I love to eat poached eggs!

• On an english muffin with candadian bacon and hollandaise sauce.
• On top of avocado toast
• On top of a toasted slice of sourdough with ricotta, tomato and balsamic
• Over rice and beans