Tips for poaching an egg?

[jonesyyy]

Just can't get it right no matter what I do tried everything!

What am I doing wrong?

I have recently perfected this so here are my tips!

5-10ml of apple cider vinegar in the pan

Water at a low simmer

Use as fresh an egg as poss. Strain it into a small ramekin (this keeps the best of the white and gets rid of the thin straggly bits)

Swirl the water around to create a vortex in the middle. Tip the egg from the ramekin whilst water is still swirling.

Set timer for 3 minutes and take egg out straightaway when it beeps! Don't let the water come up past the simmer point

Use an electric one

Ramekin
Line with cling film
Quick spray with oil
Crack egg in ramekin
Twist the cling film at the top
Drop into water
Cook as long as you want for desired consistency
Untwist and serve

Never fails

I use a frying pan, not a huge saucepan. Bring water to boil, crack eggs in and time! I do have metal rings if I want to make them look "perfect", but don't usually bother. The fresher the eggs, the less the white will spread. I usually do 3 mins for a large egg, which sets the white, but leaves the yolk runny.

I bring pan of water to boil, no vinegar in it and I've also stopped swirling the water now too.

Crack egg into ramekin.

Turn heat off but leave pan on the ring.

Carefully pour egg in.

Put lid on pan and leave for about 3 mins, depending how you like it.

Mine are perfect (only thing I can say that about!) - I never use vinegar, water just off a boil, swirl to create a whirlpool - drop into the middle, 3 minutes on the nose. Lift out with slotted spoon and pat off with kitchen roll.

Saucepan of water, drop in silicone cup , smear of oil or butter in silicone cup, pinch of salt, drop egg into silicone cup, another pinch of salt on top, cover pot, bring to boil, check consistency of egg, slide a knife under, tip onto toast, hey presto!

Start with spanking fresh eggs.
Use a frying pan.
Simmer the water and add a splash of vinegar.
Crack each egg into a ramekin and tip carefully into pan.
Cook for 3 mins.
Take out with slotted spoon onto kitchen roll.

My favourite way to eat them is on toasted wholemeal English muffins (from Sainsburys).

Start with spanking fresh eggs. Use a frying pan. Simmer the water and add a splash of vinegar. Crack each egg into a ramekin and tip carefully into pan. Cook for 3 mins. Take out with slotted spoon onto kitchen roll.

Pretty much that except I make sure my eggs are 2-3 days old as I keep my own hens, if they are shop bought eggs they should be a few days old anyway.

The trick is fresh eggs and water just simmering in a frying pan.
The rest is a matter of preference as I don't time just wait until the white looks set,us a spoon to splash the top of the eggs with the hot water and a fish slice to remove as I don't have kitchen paper.
Keep trying, you'll get there.

@bloodywhitecat I have hen-vy!! 😁

I would love to try a freshly laid egg. How amazing!

Fresh eggs, saucepan with water at rolling boil. I don’t bother with vinegar or swirling or ramekins - just very quickly plop egg in and put lid on quick to bring it back to temp. Then keep it at a simmer for 3 mins, always perfect.

Nigella tip is to crack egg into tea/ fine mesh strainer so watery bits of egg drain off and then into pan. It works for me.

Also cook one at time if making a few. Cook for a couple of minutes then pop on plate. Give them all another minute together before serving.

I eat eggs most days for breakfast and had a big revelation recently: boil in the shell for exactly 5 minutes, peel carefully and put on toast before cutting open - perfect runny egg without any stringy white or a mucky pan. Game changer for me

Nigella Turkish eggs - that is all!

@LittleAndOften These are some of my ex-battery girls enjoying a sunbathe, I have 5 ex batts, and 5 others and I used to have grass! The ex batts have come a long way since we've had them as they were once more like living, breathing oven ready birds.

Hairy Bikers method.

Put whole egg into boiling water for 20 seconds
remove
add dash of vinegar to boiling water
make whirlpool
crack egg back into center of whirlpool.

Perfectly cooked every time, no mess or straggly bits..mostly!

Microwave. The only way I can do it.

What Stationeryqueen said. Perfect every time.

It’s the straining which will make sure they form into proper rounds rather than spread out. Get a tea strainer, strain into a mug then add to salted not quite simmering water. I don’t bother swirling or vinegar because if I strain they don’t need it.

3 mins 30 secs to cook, take out and blot on some kitchen towel. Serve on buttered toast.

My favourite I had it for my breakfast today.

I found the Hairy Bikers didn’t work for me. Just ended up with a shell with some lightly cooked egg on it and it still spread out!

Buy either a reusable silicone egg poacher or disposable paper ones . No mess no fuss

You have to submerge the egg in shell for a bit longer than the Hairy Bikers say - more like 45 seconds. Other than that it’s a perfect method and I will never go back!!!

Thanks everyone, will try again tomorrow morning!