How to poach the perfect egg!

Smoked haddock with poached egg my favourite as well Granny23

I've got some similar ones but I just can't get on with them.

When I cook them for the kids I use the silicone pods - much easier.

I use a poaching pan ( similar to the one Spangler showed)
It’s from Lakeland, and very good, the eggs don’t stick and cook through properly.However it does take a while, so will now try the microwave way, thanks for the tip.

I love eggs in most forms. Have them most days for lunch. Boiled eggs my favourite (use an electric egg boiler). My second fav. lunch is poached eggs on half a tin of Baked beans on a slice of toast. I use a very cheap egg poacher (does two eggs) - cost me £2.99 in a microwave.
You need to have a few tries to find out the best times and heat settings for YOUR microwave. Originally, I used a very cheap, basic microwave and when I moved changed that out for a all-singing, all dancing, combi, covector microwave. Poached eggs totally successful in both, Do use a low heat setting, in current one 450 - two large eggs take 2 minutes

I use white wine vinegar, never taste it.

I've never tasted vinegar but I do use cider vinegar, not malt.

I don't use vinegar in the water for poached eggs as I think I can taste it in the finished egg. A few drops of lemon juice do the same job.

Frying pan, simmering water. Crack egg into a cup and when the water is gently simmering slowly tip the egg into water so that the first bit of white starts to set just before the rest and the yolk goes in.

as a previous poster said - fresh eggs. You will never fail. The whites need to be as solid as possible - older eggs with watery whites will never poach in a water bath. Just get hold of an egg laid the day before and see the difference!

Yes, I do that Bathsheba

But it's still very hit and miss.

Now, how do I boil an egg successfully? I never get them just right.

I put a large egg in the pan with cold water, and bring to the boil, then boil for 3 minutes. For a medium egg, 2.5 minutes. They're usually just right, cooked white and runny yolk.

But even then it can vary, because although all large eggs may weigh the same, there's no guarantee that the yolks will all be the same size. Which is possibly why the yolk is sometimes overcooked and firm

Like Riverwalk, I drop my egg into a half filled cup of cold water and put it in the microwave. 60 seconds in mine produces a set white with a lovely runny yolk.
I've never managed a good poached egg in a saucepan.

I find you can only poach them one at a time to make a successful poached egg.

Break egg into a cup. Bring a small pan of water to the boil (not too much water) turn down the heat to a simmer, add just a dash of cider vinegar, slide in egg carefully and tip the pan carefully to one side so that the water just covers the egg. It works better on a gas hob of course. Cook until just set. Remove with slotted spoon.

Now, how do I boil an egg successfully? I never get them just right.
Simmer until

I prefer dropping them into pan of water just simmering. Swirl it first. No vinegar.

Since seeing Hairy Bikers put the egg (in its shell) into the water first for no more than 10 secs, I do that every time now. It seems to keep the white together when the cracking it straight into the water. I like a runny egg so 3 mins is enough for me.

I really don't like the little plastic containers that make a perfectly formed egg. DH does them this way and they are never runny enough, He tries less time but the white in the middle is not cooked.

Don't find any difference in farm or supermarket (free range) eggs. I buy both.

Sorry, forgot picture

I've never managed to do it either. My mother used to use a pan like in Spangler's picture. I have tried several methods, including these guys in the picture. They do not work at all. I have tried greasing them and putting water in the bottom but it never worked and they were the Devil to clean.

The best results seem to be the microwave method - however, I haven't perfected that either. I only put a tiny bit of water in, not half a cup as Riverwalk suggests. Maybe that's where I'm going wrong. I'll try that next time. Also the frying pan method, as described by Tanith and others, although I'm sure mine will stick to the bottom.

As for doing it in a saucepan, I do know that the water has to have a bit of vinegar in it, be just off the boil, and I try to get it really swirling and drop the egg, which has to be very fresh, into the middle of the "whirlpool". All to no avail.

Re the swirl - I whip up a mini-whirlpool in the water with the handle of a tablespoon before dropping in the egg right in the centre.

My poached eggs are pretty good!

Anyone who is a fan of "Four in a Bed" will know that poached eggs at breakfast time is a benchmark where some of the contestants have stumbled and others have excelled
TerriBull I was thinking about that programme and also The Hotel Inspector. The presenter Alex Polizzi always ordered poached eggs for breakfast when she was doing her inspection.

It does t matter what you try, you must have a very very fresh egg. The the White will wrap itself found the yolk as the water swirls round.
You can add salt, vinegar or nothing at all but the egg must be fresh. Farm or farm shop?

Anyone who is a fan of "Four in a Bed" will know that poached eggs at breakfast time is a benchmark where some of the contestants have stumbled and others have excelled. Many of them quake in fear at the thought of such a challenge, which clearly it seems to be! I'm not a great fan of eggs and tend to stick to omelettes, frittatas or scrambling. One of my sons and his girlfriend love the whole brunch eating out thing, well not at the moment of course, but when they do it tends to include a combination of poached eggs, smashed avocados and sour dough and they reckon they are connoisseurs of the perfectly poached egg.

Reporting back to say I tried
Riverwalk‘s method in the microwave for breakfast. I must say I was pleasantly surprised at how well it turned out. Needs a little tweak as the mug I used was narrower at the bottom. I’ll definitely try it again and next time I’ll use my wide soup mug which should give a better shape.

Thanks Riverwalk

My favourite is a poached egg on top of a lightly smoked haddock, I cook the haddock in a large frying pan till almost ready then break an egg on top of the fish, cover with a clear glass saucepan lid and closely watch until the egg is 'just right.
Wheech the fish with the egg on top onto a plate and serve with toast. It is soooooo good.

Pour the egg from a cup while you are swirling the boiling water and add a tiny bit of vinegar to the water.

I can't cook them in a poacher as Spangler does. I find the bottoms set hard but the tops don't cook and it takes ages.