The Perfect Poached Egg Club

[PurplePansy05]

DH and I are big fans of poached eggs. We've tried everything (I think?) - vinegar, Poachies, you name it. They're pretty good, but not perfect IYSWIM.

Mumsnetters, please throw your Perfect Poached Egg recommendations at me!

1. How do you make one?
2. Your perfect poached egg combination. Mine is: avocado, smoked salmon with lemon juice and rye sourdough with real butter. Alternatively, avocado & chilli flakes on sourdough. Heaven.

I dislike the cling film method for the same reason - they don’t look as nice!

Right that's it! I'm selling the house!

We do white vinegar, and swirl the water exceedingly fast.

A firm favourite of mine for lunch, is a poached egg sandwich, fresh white bread, too much butter, an egg, naturally, with salt and pepper and finely cut fresh chives. . .

So, aficionados, does the texture change when done directly in water as opposed to in cling film?

I've always lost the white when swirling the water, it just sort of swirls away…

@PurplePansy05 Cats and chickens have lived happily side by side in farmyards for eons! Our cat (who is a prolific hunter!) showed absolutely no interest in our hens.

Perhaps I'll try poaching again just with simmering water. Should you still add a dash of vinegar if you're not swirling?

@saraclara

How about poached eggs on toasted bread with real butter and freshly cracked black pepper?

Yes! But not sourdough. I m so fed up the ubiquity of it. It's impossible to get anything on normal toast if you go out for brunch these days. And I hate fighting with sourdough. It's so tough and dry.

Proper toast, proper butter and a simple poached egg, lightly seasoned with salt and ground pepper. That's the way to really appreciate the wonder of a poached egg.

Dry?! Not if you put as much butter (salted) on it as I do

I have an egg poaching pan - bring the water to a boil, turn down to a simmer, pop in eggs (in pre-oiled poaching cups) and cook for 6 minutes. Firm whites with lovely runny yolks 😋

www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-'the-pan'-stainless-steel-non-stick-egg-poacher-20cm/p3549080

That's like the one I melted the cups off, Wayoftheworld!

I microwave them - got the bowl I use and timing down to a fine art. Takes seconds, minimal washing up and perfect!

@picklemewalnuts

That's like the one I melted the cups off, Wayoftheworld!

Oops!

@AlwaysLatte what kind of bowl? Plastic? Lidded? Do you add water?

I have a heart shaped le Creuset lidded crock that I do two eggs in. It's unreliable though, depending where the yolk lands etc.

While we are talking about eggs, would it be remiss of me to ask how you make nice scrambled eggs?
My own are rubbish, the ones you get in the nice cafes are like heavenly clouds of eggy goodness.

Sorry but key to this is being placed in a warm clean tea towel after cooking. You can't serve a wet egg!

The most important thing about poaching eggs, is having very, very fresh eggs.

I do my eggs old style in hot water with a splash of vinegar. No fancy cups etc. Put eggs into just boiling water for 3 mins. Scoop out with a slotted spoon. Perfect.

And don't swirl the water! It isn't necessary.

The best way to eat them is over smoked salmon on a toasted English muffin, with a spoonful of hollandaise on top (break the yolk first). Scrummy!

We also have our own chickens. I poach by getting a good sized pan half filled, pinch of salt then get it to a roiling boil, swirl for whirlpool then gently tip 4 eggs in from a cup. Maybe 3 mins of poaching, soon as the water comes back up to a roiling boil drop it to a simmer.

I love either normal white bread, lightly toasted with a slice of naice ham. Or muffins, lightly toasted, naice ham then egg on top, crack of black pepper and maybe a smidge of hollandaise sauce. Dh always puts smoked paprika on his poached eggs and it is nice sometimes.

Another favourite for using up eggs is to make Mexican wraps with scrambled eggs. I cheap and just buy one of those 4 part mexican dips you get from the supermarket. Scramble the eggs, smear a teaspoon of each of the dips on a warm tortilla, add the eggs, sprinkle of grated cheese and you are good to go. I do it like that for brunch (might add a squirt of chilli) or for dinner I might make my own guacamole or tomato salsa and serve with a bit of salad, or refried beans or do a bowl of nachos. Makes a nice change, is easy and cheap (especially if you have a never ending supply of eggs!) and pretty healthy for 'fast' food.

I need chickens. I've always known this.

I've got this from Lakeland-1 egg takes about a minute, 2 take about a minute and a half; depending on how you like your eggs. www.lakeland.co.uk/72459/OXO-Good-Grips-Microwave-Egg-Cooker

I have cats too, @PurplePansy05. They sensibly steer clear of the hens.

Every time a new cat comes to the neighbourhood we have the entertainment of the cat deciding to hunt the hens. Then it gets close and the hens give it short shrift and run it out of the garden at top speed, tail very much between its legs.

Hens take no nonsense from felines. It’s very funny to watch the “oh shit” moment occur to the cat.

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-functional-non-stick-4-cup-egg-poacher/p/0858440?gclid=Cj0KCQjwwuD7BRDBARIsAK5YhXKL2lq2dSI64TDpUSLOtxzWfSVes2PaBddKRdcdTH5tK2tS7B8aSkaAo0fEALww_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I've got something like this, the lid is glass though. Works for me.

@WhatwouldJKRdo 😂 That's so funny! We have some feline visitors too, that would be hilarious to watch. I think my girls would be glued to the window watching the hens 24/7 😂

I had that pan egg poacher before from John Lewis and it didn't work for us & was very difficult to clean :(

I've just made my eggs in my pan (no sticking I spray with a one cal oil spray before putting the eggs in)
Seeded toast, smashed avocado, the eggs, salt and pepper

... thanks for inspiring a great brunch for me

@PurplePansy05 - one cat was so persistent. Every couple of days she’d have an attempt. Each time she’d run away and shed her collar in the chicken run as she fled. It had an address tag on, so I’d pop it through their letterbox. I know getting those things engraved can add up.

After 2 weeks the neighbours turned up with flowers and a card to apologise. We became friends as a result of their demented kitty!

The dumbest was the young Tom cat who fled to into the hen house to hide, and then couldn’t get passed them to escape. I found him yowling for help when I went to hang the washing out.
He never came back.

Oh no don't get an electric egg poacher, it's just not the same!!

You need fresh eggs, a pan of simmering water. Crack the eggs into ramekins. Pour them into the pan for 2.5-3mins. Remove with a slotted spoon.

My favourite is poached eggs on toast with real salted butter.

Close second is eggs on black pudding.