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?

Salt water
Crack egg into a small cup
When the water is simmering lower cup into water at an angle to allow hot water in and wait around 20 seconds
Gently tip egg out into water and cross fingers that the white stays together
Turn temp down so water doesn’t boil over (I often forget this step 😞)

Still water, deep frying pan, lid over the top to bounce the steam back in - but the really, really crucial thing is eggs as fresh as possible (as PP said). I'm normally fairly lax about the freshness of eggs but for poached eggs it really does make a difference.

I've got to the point now where I usually just crack them into still water and they come out OK (usually). But if I want a really good-looking egg with the white bit intact I leave them in their shells and give them a quick roll around in the boiling water first for about 10 seconds or so. This starts to thicken the white very slightly. You then fish them out and then crack them into the water as normal - the white holds together much better. Tastes just like a regular poached egg but the initial dip and roll in the hot water helps prevent them falling apart.

And now I want to eat some poached eggs on toasted brioche rolls. Bloody delicious.

I do mine in the microwave

Gentle simmer, no swirl and have the egg in a ramekin ready to go in smoothly

The trick is
-fresh eggs

• small pan of water with a good splash of vinegar

-bring to a very gentle simmer

• break the egg very carefully into the water at surface level -don't dropit in from a great height. Some people find breaking into a cup,first easier, then you can lower gently into the water

Cover the pan and in the time it takes your toast to toast, the egg will be ready. Scoop out with a slotted spoon

Deiish.

Vinegar. Water. Just simmering. Don't swirl.

Crack egg into ramekin. Tip at surface level into water.

Poach for 2 mins, then remove pan from heat. Don't remove eggs for another minute.

Lift out on slotted spoon and place on kitchen roll to get rid of any water pockets.

Ta daaaa.

Well for me the ‘swirling tip’ is disastrous. Took me any years to realise this was absolute nonsense (for me).
I turn flame down and get water still. I very very gently and very slowly lower a small bowl with egg in into water. At angle so it stays on little ramekin as water surrounds it then very gently turn it into very still water. Once it’s covered I turn flame up slightly.
Perfect every time.
Swirling is an absolute disaster (for me) and has never once worked.

I can poach an egg pretty reliably. Still water and crack the egg into a small cup first, then slowly lower it into the water

I can’t fry an egg to save my life though. Fuck knows how, but I screw it up every time

I really don’t like eggs (they just taste too eggy ) so I suppose I don’t cook them often enough

I can, but I find it a faff so I don't.
what's wrong with an egg cooked i it's shell?

allo exactly ! I get quite cross every time I see a tv chef recommend the swirling method.

I like a few bubbles coming up from the base of the pan. And a fresh egg.

Problems could be having temp high so you put egg in as it starts into a mad boil. Old egg.

Fried eggs that are too eggy require a load of tomato sauce (connoisseur here).

You have a magic knack. I’m a good cook and a good baker but I can’t poach an egg to save my life. Mine are always stringy, or the white separates from the yolk, or they’re undercooked, or they’re like hockey pucks.

It’s very upsetting because I make an amazing hollandaise sauce!

I'm a decent cook but I simply can't do this. I've tried many times.

I've only just got the hang of omelettes. I think I didn't have the temp high enough.

If you are using vinegar, it means you can't poach eggs properly. 🤮

Yes, my mum is a very competent cook and has catered for large parties etc over the years, made my wedding cake. Yet she insists she can't poach eggs. I make them all the time.

With a family of 5 I can't be doing with swirling. I do 5 or 6 eggs at time. Just use a big deep frying pan, water and a shake of vinegar. Break eggs straight in and just wait til they whiten up before touching them. Sometimes it looks like the white is all swirling off but if you wait it all joins up again. They don't come out perfect rounds like in a restaurant but they taste good.

I don't poach eggs because I don't like them, scrambled eggs however are delicious

Does it make a difference if the eggs have been in the fridge?

(Asking for a friend)

I think it might silk. Trouble is I haven’t yet found time in my life to do a big spreadsheet type experiment including the fresh/not fresh element. I’ve found the still gentle method just works fit any egg to hand whether room temp or fresh or otherwise.

Should clarify, on the rare off chance that someone didn't know. Clear distilled vinegar. Not brown malt

@AWiseWomanOnceSaidFuckThisShit

I can do a full roast dinner for numerous people, make curries, bolognaise, chilli, amazing salads, my own sauces, lasagnas, full english breakfasts, rice dishes, meat dishes, pasta dishes. You want it I'll make it.

Can't poach an egg for shit.

^This. I've tried the silicone cups as well. Still doesn't work.

The only rule is that you need really new eggs. Old eggs won't poach, the white will disintegrate.

@winteroversummer

A pan of boiling water, stick a spoon in and swirl it round, then crack the egg in and wait a couple of mins and scoop it out. I bet you'll be able to do it tomorrow morning for brekkie

No, this doesn't always work. Neither does adding vinegar to the water.

As another poster said, the only thing that works is a nice fresh egg.

I laugh when people say 'he/she can't even boil an egg' and use it as an insult. I am a good cook. I can fry, scramble poach eggs with ease. Omelettes are amazing. I cannot boil an egg. DH, OTOH, can boil eggs perfectly. He has turned it into an artform. He finds cooking everything else a challenge - he does cook, but finds ot hard to coordinate everything so that everything is ready at the same time. I forgive him the odd lukewarm carrot as long as he continues to cook the boiled eggs!