Why can't everyone poach eggs?

[winteroversummer]

You often hear people say that they can't do poached eggs. Why? I dont understand. There's lots that I can't do in a kitchen but poaching an egg is literally cracking it into swirling water, isn't it? Just cracking an egg. What about it do people find hard? Why does my husband needs six eggs to go wrong before getting one good poached egg?

@Undertheoldlindentree

Thought I was a pretty reasonable cook, but this has made me realise I can do none of the Big Four (poach an egg, steam rice, bake a sponge, wow with Yorkshires!). Hanging my head in shame and wondering how 3 DC survived.....

Me neither!

I obviously need staff

If it's cooked in a silicon thing or a cup and not directly in water then it's not a proper poached egg.

I use Delia Smith's method and it works perfectly if you follow it precisely

I have a poached egg pan. Much easier than all that water swirly nonsense (that is unnecessary according to real chefs) Perfect poached eggs every time.

it’s not a proper poached egg.

It is according to the definition of a poached egg.

I've tried swirly water, still water, vinegar in the pan, egg wrapped in cling film, eggs fresh from my friends hens, and still I have never managed it! All the white separates from the yolk! I've given up now and only have one if we go out for breakfast!

Fresh eggs and a few drops of vinegar in the water, then whisk the water until you've got a whirlpool effect.

Can’t do it cracking them into water, still or swirly, vinegar or no, deep or shallow. I just use one of those little pans with the poached egg dimples and make sure not to over cook them, and they come out hemisphererical but perfect.

Pyrex jug
Half a pint of boiling water
Swirl
Crack in egg
Microwave 45-50 seconds

Might try @hmb255 clingfilm method though if I'm cooking lots!

I used to be crap at scones too. Could bake most other things but my scones could have been used to build houses.

This changed everything www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/classic-scones-jam-clotted-cream

I can't get them out of the pan in one piece

Too much effort. I have a silicone poach egg thing. Goes in the pan and voila!

We have hens. Very fresh eggs will usually poach because the white is more gelatinous. I saw nigella once out her very fresh egg through a tea strainer to lose the ‘stringy bits’. Farmers have something like 30 days to put an egg to market and they then might have a ‘use by’ 30 days after that. This is why your eggs won’t poach. Buy from a roadside farm stall and you won’t have a problem. I don’t know where you get the freshest eggs in a city though.

I'm a good cook and i really struggle with poaching eggs. Weirdly, my husband can barely make toast without turning it to carbon (he's terrible in the kitchen!), yet he poaches eggs perfectly. Every. Single. Time. There's no rhyme or reason to it and it drives me mad.

It does seem to be all about having fresh eggs to do the “proper” poaching. But that’s just annoying - I want to make poached eggs with any (in date) egg I’ve got in- so little poaching pan it is!

Fresh egg and stiill water. Make your toast and brew. Job done

I don't know why anyone would want to poach an egg. They look gross and I can't bring myself to try one. I love hard boiled eggs, scrambled eggs and omelettes. But just the thought of fried eggs and poached eggs makes me feel sick.

Making perfectly soft poached eggs requires is simple enough, but it requires care & precision. You obviously have to use fresh eggs, but timing is also crucial. 30 seconds too little, and the white isn’t set. 30 seconds too long and the yolk is hard. It’s not something you can do while trying to do three other things simultaneously, well I can’t anyway!

I couldn’t make poached eggs. Wasted hundreds of eggs, then I found THE fool proof method!

Get a large pan of boiling water
Crack your egg into a small dish
Tip your egg into the boiling water from about two inches above the pan
Immediately turn the heat off and put the lid on the pan
Wait three minutes (toast on)
Perfect poached egg!

The fresher the eggs the better - but not essential. Hope someone else cracks it from this.

@Talipesmum

It does seem to be all about having fresh eggs to do the “proper” poaching. But that’s just annoying - I want to make poached eggs with any (in date) egg I’ve got in- so little poaching pan it is!

Yep, I think the whole problem with poached eggs and why they've got this reputation as 'difficult' is that people are reluctant to admit that you just need really fresh eggs (I don't know why - poultry lobbyists?!) and so come up with all of these other 'tips', none of which you need if your eggs are fresh, and none of which really work if your eggs are old.

Never swirl or use vinegar here, I once had a poached egg for breakfast in a posh hotel that only tasted of vinegar, yuck.

Boil a pan of water, crack in the egg, turn pan down to lowest setting, practically off and et voila. Works for me anyway.

I use the silicon poaching cups. Spread a bit of butter in the mold, add the egg and lower it gently into simmering water. Do not overcook or it will be rubbery.

Mine turn out well and i make poached eggs now when I didn't before.

I've always found it easy to poach eggs too. I'm surprised many people struggle. I actually mess up fried eggs every time even though they are meant to be easy! I don't think I get the heat/oil right.

I use a silicone thingy usually, the time I tried without it was very stringy.

I only have supermarket eggs though. Proper fresh eggs are wonderful whichever way they are eaten.

I do perfect rice, scones, Yorkshire's/pancakes, roast spuds and sponges though. I'm not a fabulous cook, but I find those things quite straightforward. Timings however, I'm rubbish at.