7 Steps to Perfect Poached Eggs Every Time ...

I almost feel like this point is unnecessary, but I would hate for your eggs to turn out as duds because you had it wrong from the start. Number 1 of my 7 steps to perfect poached eggs is to always use free range eggs. Apart from the fact that the eggs you are planning to eat would come from a happy chicken that was treated humanely, free range eggs taste far better than non free range eggs. From the color to the taste, get it right from the start and buy free range.

One of the biggest secrets to perfect poached eggs is to ensure that you cook them in hot water. It seems obvious, silly even, but there is a trick to it. Boil a kettle of water and pour it into a frying pan and place it on a high heat on the stove.

You only want to fill the pan half to three quarters full; so that once the eggs are in they are just covered by the water but not 10 feet under.

Once your water is boiling turn the heat down a little. If you put the eggs in the pan whilst it’s still bubbling, chances are that the bubbles will cause the eggs to spread out and separate.

Once the water is simmering (not bubbling) crack the eggs into the pan. The trick is to crack them as close to the water as possible as the less of a drop the more likely that the eggs will stay in a round egg shape and not split. I always crack mine around the sides of the pan as I find they stay put and come out looking lovely.

If your toast is ready and your eggs don’t look cooked a trick is to splash the eggs with a bit of hot water. It seals the yolk without hardening it so it won’t break, but when you cut through it, it’s all gooey just as you want your yolk to be.

To check to see if your egg is are cooked lift it out of the pan with a large spoon with slits in it. Slightly (very slightly) shake the spoon and if the whites wobble then the you’ll need to cook your egg for a little longer. No one likes wobbly whites. Once your whites are wobble free, hold the egg in the spoon until all excess water has drained from it otherwise it’ll make the toast soggy.

Poached eggs are such a simple, yet tasty dish to cook. They saw my friends and I through our Uni years as struggling students, are a regular on lazy Sunday mornings and of course every now and then when I can’t be bothered cooking a full on meal but want something yum; I always make poached eggs. Does anyone else have any tips for perfect poached eggs? Or maybe just a shared loved for this oh-so-simple but satisfying dish?