What’s the fuss about poached eggs?

[JeannieJo]

Bit of a laugh really, but I just don’t get it. Why the big thing about poached eggs, isn’t a boiled egg just the same and FAR easier to make? 🤣

Urg I can never go on social media without seeing them being popped over perfectly good food like something that belongs in sporners corner.

My favourite but I can't eat them out as they always have runny whites 🤮- when I cook them myself I time it so white is all firm but yoke still soft and part runny.

the last time i had one, in a restaurant, it was cold, put me off for LIFE

Can you share your cooking method? I love them but they don't always turn out well despite my freshest of fresh eggs.

I have them nearly every day with chilli flakes and turmeric. I am shit hot at making them!

Long enough for the toast to pop and cool just enough for the butter to stay like butter/asparagus to come out of a separate pan and apply sea salt and butter.

I do this as well.

I have silicone egg poachers, making them without any container is always a disaster IME. I don't like the wispy bits of egg white you end up with. As a kid we had stainless steel ones. I love avocado and poached egg on sourdough!

poached egg on top of smoked haddock that’s been cooked in milk. Very nice. The yolk with the fish is lovely.

crispy fried egg on a spicy noodle dish.

boiled eggs is what I have when I’m feeling in need of comfort food and buttered toast. But it’s so hit and miss to get it right whereas poached eggs you can see.

and omelettes and scrambled eggs have to be soft.

I've never understood the need for all the vinegar, vortex, gadget stuff. You crack the egg into just rolling salted water, leave well alone for 3 minutes and serve. Perfect eggs every time.

I don't eat scrambled or boiled eggs as I don't like the texture. Poached eggs are perfect.

My neighbour has chickens so fortunately I can get very fresh eggs without my own hen house. Very handy.

I've always been too afraid to tackle a poached egg! Fry, scramble or boil - no problem. No clue why!😂

Boiling water. XL size eggs. 3m20s in the water. Perfect.

That's just what I was thinking. I haven't had one for ages!

omelettes and scrambled eggs have to be soft.

Absolutely! I grew up thinking I didn't like them because my Mum's scrambled eggs and omelettes were very solid and not pleasant to eat. When I started cooking for myself I read Delia Smith's tips on how to make scrambled eggs and as ever she was right on the money. Lovely soft buttery eggs every time. I find the trick is to do them over a low heat, the slower the better for maximum creaminess.

I'm 64 and it's only in the last few months that I feel I've finally almost cracked how to make a classic French omelette which I enjoy eating. I watched a documentary about the thriller writer Len Deighton (wonderful writer) who also used to have a job writing and drawing cartoon strips about cooking. He demonstrated how to make an omelette and I finally got it. I'm OK with the Spanish tortilla type, but the French type requires a lot more skill and technique if it's not going to be rubbery. (My Mum made a thing she called a Spanish omelette which was really just a vehicle for using up leftover vegetables and again the egg was really solid. No thanks!)

(Apologies to my Mum, who was actually a good cook except when it came to eggs!)

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g same for me. My mum was an excellent cook but had got bored of it and dealing with fussy kids and I was the youngest of 4.... so we'd get scrambled eggs that were rather watery and curdy and tough. A friend made me lovely soft scrambled eggs at University and I suddenly got it!

Mum would, when she could be bothered, make a souffle omelette that was delicious - I must look that up and give it a go.

@BadActingParsley - is that when you separate the whites and yolks? Beat the yolks together with a generous pinch of salt, whisk the eggs whits to firm peaks, mix in the usual Sacrificial Third* of egg white to slacken the mixture, stir in any flavour (herbs and grated cheese) then carefully fold in the remaining 2/3s of egg whites before cooking in a pan on a lowish heat.

*I love recipes with a Sacrificial Third, it makes it feel like I’m giving an offering to the gods of cookery. Soufflés, mousses, some cake batters need it and it’s just a concept that tickles me.

I love poached eggs especially now I can do them in the air fryer.

Tonight's meal (not just because of this thread!). As I said above, they wouldn't win prizes for their appearance, but they tasted good.

What are coddled eggs?

Oooh that could be a game changer, what’s your process?

It’s the cut into it factor - goes beautifully with ye olde avo on toast.

Also they can only be well made by virgins at midnight or some crazy magic, so there’s that. I can’t make them at all.

@CalamityGanon

WHAT??!?! HOW??? Please reveal all!

Love eggs every way!

No idea. I only like scrambled.

My husband and kids are obsessed with poached eggs though. I would have no idea how to cook one. It could be 2 minutes or 30 for all I know.

I only can eat scrambled the way I may thrm

Creamy with the yolk and white properly combine - salt and pepper with turmeric and green chillies 😋