The Quest for the Perfectly Poached Egg!

To me, there's nothing better for a simple Breakfast than Poached Eggs on good quality, toasted bread.
However, making the perfectly poached egg has always been a challenge.
I've tried all kinds of methods and techniques.
Something this simple shouldn't be so hard.
Use Vinegar, don't use vinegar?
Simmer or boil the water?
Trim or skim the whites?
New or old eggs?
Here's a couple of videos I've found that help.
More than one way to skin a cat or poach an egg!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTfzoIyRlmM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBPoh2DGXRc&playnext=1&list=PLOAJUL0O5SJSFBSJIX5UKAOIWHM82LNRF
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pux9JRiGRHY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfd2yP7-rug
WHAT'S YOUR TECHNIQUE?????

Mine's simple. I swirl simmering water and drop eggs into each swirl. No vinegar, no concern as to age of the eggs. They come out perfectly every time. For more than two or three I remove the done eggs to an ice water bath and poach the rest. Then return the cooled eggs to the simmering water for a moment to heat through.

After years of trying all of the "tricks" I do what Michael does. They come out great. I love poached eggs!

I never mastered poached eggs( love them) so I settle for 4 minute boiled eggs...

I'm a little vinegar man, water to a boil, turn off heat, break eggs into still water, let poach, slotted spatula to remove and drain eggs, gentle touch up with paper towel if water is still on eggs. Take a fifth of Vodka, add some oj, chug it, you won't give a fig about the eggs!

I bring the water to a boil, add a few drops of white vinegar, shut off the heat, add the eggs (two or three), let them sit for about 30 seconds, and then lift them off the bottom carefully with a spoon..... Leave them sit in the turned off water until they are done to my liking.....
 
I love my eggs soft and runny...so it only takes a few minutes for mine to be perfect.
 
Like Michael, if I'm doing allot I pull them early and shock them in an ice bath.....briefly reheat in simmering water.

What do you all call the eggs made in cups such as the revere ware cooker I grew up using?
 I always thought of this as poached eggs.  
 

I do my poached eggs very much the same way: making sure the water is swirling, I don't use vinegar. One trick I learned from Martha Stewart is when you remove the poached egg, lay the egg on piece of bread & then flip over. Thiis is the best way to dry the egg.

Poached are my absolute favorite - and I use the Michael Hoffman method  - now - I've also bought into all the products that claim you will get the perfect poached egg- even the little silicone boats that float on the simmering water and you end up with egg stuck to the little boat.  The simplest method is the best.
 

1bbqboy,
Technically, you're steaming an egg.
Poaching refers to imersing the egg in hot water or other liquid.
From Reference.com
Poached egg (steamed)
In cooking, traditionally, a poached egg is prepared by immersing the egg without its shell, in simmering water, (see poached egg). Today, however the term is commonly applied to an alternative method where the egg is suspended in the steam above the water, usually in a special purpose cup. The water vessel is covered to ensure the steam surrounds the complete egg. The inside surface of the cup is normally lubricated with butter in order to effect easy removal of the cooked egg. The result is very similar to the traditional coddled egg, although often cooked for longer, and a more firm egg results. Eggs so prepared are often served on buttered toast.
Poached egg
A poached egg  is an egg that has been cooked by poaching. No oil or fat is used in its preparation. In modern parlance, the term "poached egg" is also applied to a different method of preparation, where the egg is suspended in steam.
In India, the term "poached egg" often refers to a fried egg.
Preparation
The egg is cracked into a pan of simmering water and simmered until the egg white has mostly congealed, but the yolk remains soft. The 'perfect' poached egg has a runny yolk, with a hardening crust and no raw white remaining. Fresh eggs will yield the best results. Broken into simmering water, the white will stay clinging around the yolk, and the egg results in cooked albumen and runny yolk. To prevent dispersion of the white of the egg, a small amount of vinegar may be added to the boiling water. Stirring the water vigorously to create a vortex may reduce said dispersion. Special pans, with small cups, allow a number of eggs to be poached at the same time. Other methods of producing poached eggs, such as using cling film to keep the egg perfectly formed have been documented.

I do it like MH does. Simmering swirling  water, no vinegar, salt and butter in the water. Serve on toast or corned beef hash or as eggs Benedict. Like any amateur mine dont always come out perfect.
 
Cheers, John  

I applaud all who make their own poached eggs! Whatever you all do, to enjoy them, is wonderful. There is no perfect recipe, as exhibited by all of my friends here! I would come to any one of your homes for breakfast any day......

As I don't think I've had a poached egg since I was quite young, how similar is it in terms of taste and texture to one cooked over easy or sunny side up?

ScreamingChicken


As I don't think I've had a poached egg since I was quite young, how similar is it in terms of taste and texture to one cooked over easy or sunny side up?

IMHO, pretty close, with the absence of any frying substance taste, which I like if it's real butter.

1bbqboy


What do you all call the eggs made in cups such as the revere ware cooker I grew up using?
I always thought of this as poached eggs.  

My mother had that exact pan when I was a kid.  She called the eggs made in it poached, and she called the pan a torture instrument when it came time to clean it.

We had the same pan and inserts, and it was always referred to as the "egg poacher."
 
Ann - from the definition listed, I "coddle" an egg,  put a pat of butter and break an egg into a custard cup in a skillet of boiling water.  

I saw Jack Pepin do a poached egg or at least that's what he called it by essentially deep frying....Looked interesting, he mentioned that his Grandmother in france did that way when he was
 growing up.
 
He cracked the egg into enough oil to cover and let it deep fry for a minute or two....it looked poched, and the yolk was nice and runny/creamy.....haven't thought about it until this thread...I may try it this Sunday morning.....

I always break my egg into a custard cup and then put the side of the cup into barely simmering water and let the egg slide in. This seems to keep it in a pretty nice shape. Love it on a thin slice of filet mignon cooked rare and covered with Bearnaise sauce!

ScreamingChicken


As I don't think I've had a poached egg since I was quite young, how similar is it in terms of taste and texture to one cooked over easy or sunny side up?

A fried egg tends to be a little tougher on the bottom as opposed to a poached egg which is smooth and soft all around since the water is more uniform in temperature.
The egg yolk on a flat fried surface tends to cook faster and get harder than the top of the egg thus yielding less runny yolks.
A poached egg yolk is usually more runny since it's cooked more uniformly all the way around. 

I use an omelet pan, about 1 inch water.  Simmer water with salt, crack the eggs carefully in the simmering water, about 4.  I just leave them be simmering away till I see done, remove with slotted spoon onto a paper towel, then onto your buttered toast.  Needs more salt and pepper. 

chewingthefat


I'm a little vinegar man, water to a boil, turn off heat, break eggs into still water, let poach, slotted spatula to remove and drain eggs, gentle touch up with paper towel if water is still on eggs. Take a fifth of Vodka, add some oj, chug it, you wnoon't give a fig about the eggs!

  my method exactly. Especially the vodka part!!!

chewingthefat


I'm a little vinegar man, water to a boil, turn off heat, break eggs into still water, let poach, slotted spatula to remove and drain eggs, gentle touch up with paper towel if water is still on eggs. Take a fifth of Vodka, add some oj, chug it, you won't give a fig about the eggs!

I cut out the middle man and poach mine right in the vodka.

1bbqboy


What do you all call the eggs made in cups such as the revere ware cooker I grew up using?
I always thought of this as poached eggs.  

Oops, I meant to say that I have the single serve version of this pan, heavens knows how old it is.  This one here looks pretty "modern".

I have a pan like that with eight holes. Not quite authentically poached, but very handy when doing Benedicts for a crowd.
 

Rusty246

Oops, I meant to say that I have the single serve version of this pan, heavens knows how old it is.  This one here looks pretty "modern".

What's shown above is an Egg Steamer.
In order for anything to be poached it needs to be emersed IN the liquid not ON the liquid.
A pan like shown above is a misnomer. It's a steamer, not a poacher.
All that being said, if it looks good, eat it!

fabulousoyster


I use an omelet pan, about 1 inch water.  Simmer water with salt, crack the eggs carefully in the simmering water, about 4.  I just leave them be simmering away till I see done, remove with slotted spoon onto a paper towel, then onto your buttered toast.  Needs more salt and pepper. 

I like my eggs on milk toast!