What is the secret to a well poached egg?

Without using those individual compartment poaching pans, how do you do it?

I make sure the water is boiling, I stir the water and crack the egg into the centre, but it still turns out a bit, well, 'straggly', if you get my meaning.

Anyone out there who can produce eggcellent results, every time?

Spreadie

I tried a vortex method that required vinegar a while ago. I can heartily recommend not using balsamic vinegar to make poached eggs. It tastes like (lifted)

You're meant to rinse the vinegar off.

Anyway, I posted a thread about this over a year ago at the 'other' place. No one had a good, workable method. Tips included getting the freshest eggs. In the end, I bought one of those individual egg poacher things, which aren't really egg poachers.

If you find a good method, let me know!

I eat omelettes.

Just to add, I came across this page (clicky) whilst hunting last year. I'm certain there's a reason I never used the last method again, though I'm willing to try right now.


Clicky fixed - HK

+1.
Don't like poached eggs.
I wonder if this site might have any insights - http://www.perfectpoachedegg.com/

You can buy little devices for poaching eggs. My parents have one (though it's very old). It sits in the pan and contains the egg.

Same here. They are the worst of all eggs. I like scrambled, fired, omelettes and hard boiled though. There's something about poached that's just nasty....... I thinks it's the runny yolk and lack of flavour.

Mmm, poached eggs! I haven't had a poached egg for ages! Must be a good 15 years...

Now I've got a craving for one! They've never heard of poached eggs over here, so I guess I'll have to stir the water in a pan...

I love poached eggs. I like them so the yolk is just barely set and still really creamy.

I want a set of poaching rings, which also work for making crumpets or perfectly round fried eggs for eating in a bun. I'm waiting until I find some in Spoils or similar. In the mean time, I use the microwave. It's a bit of a dark art though. You have to add just enough milk to redirect the energy away from the yolk, or you end up with yellow rubber balls in a soggy white mess. About 20ml of milk per egg. Full power 30 seconds, rest 30 seconds, low power 60 seconds but keep an eye on it.

It comes out just right about one time in 10 these days. I don't know why, but 20 years ago I did them all the time with no problem. I guess I'm just out of practice. One of those things that's easy if you do it often.

Coddling them is easier and tastes much the same. I might do a couple now actually to go with my home made pizza and salad

I just had an attempt at it and remembered why I didn't use the cling film more often - it comes out like undercooked boiled egg.

I'm sticking to boiled, scrambled and omeletted. Fried once in a blue moon.

Don't do this,

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/gla ... 051673.stm

Verloren eier, thats what to ask for, the proper method is just bubbling water with a little salt and a little light vinegar ,crack the egg into the middle and cooked till your preffered doness .
I used to make loads in Germany and here when i was in the restaurant game .

Have fun .

I read this thread and thought "mmm, haven't had them in ages". So went to the fridge and yup, no eggs. So not to be defeated I pile the kids into the car and off we went for some eggs. Now, as for cooking them, I find the best method is to use a small pan, boil the water then turn it down so the bubbles stop, then just crack them in, 30 seconds apart. Perfect.

IIRC the thing you absolutely require for good poached eggs is nothing to do with method, it's to do with ingredients.
You can't make good poached eggs with old eggs. They have to be fresh. An eggshell is porous - that's why eggs go off. As a result, the white is essentially going off as soon as it's laid and as time goes by it will be less able to hold it's structure when being poached. It's simple chemistry - regardless of what method you use, what you add to the water etc if your eggs aren't fresh the white is going to 'dissolve' in the water too much.

Sadly most supermarket eggs are less fresh than they should be. Ideally you need to get them from a grocer or deli that can tell you when they were laid and they should have at least a couple of weeks left before their 'sell by' date is up. Otherwise you will have to use one of the 'mechanical aids' to get a decent one, but it'll never be great

Mmm.. this thread has reminded me I've got some fresh eggs and it's a bank holiday tomorrow. Breakfast tomorrow will be a toasted half bagel, with two slices of smoked bacon on top and a poached egg on top of that. Yummy!

Jon