Egg Poaching Knowhow

Oh boy, do you ever know how to cheer me up! Not that I really felt like I was in need of cheering, but you know, last night when I wrote my Nothing-in-particular post I was feeling kind of flat I guess. A weeny bit of the Winter Blahs had set in, no doubt about it. I love that I can use my blog as a little place to jot down my rambling thoughts, it's a very therapeutic thing to do you know. Yesterday it allowed me to pull together a certain number of slightly unsettling feelings to do with my parenting, my slightly below par energy levels, my pondering on whether this house is still right for us. Turns out that for now, yes, all is mighty fine. We are floating/hibernating/resting and that's absolutely ok. Our house is possibly a tad too small for us, but it's absolutely ok cos we love it so.

I was tickled, like reeeeeeally chuffed with your response to my egg poaching skills, thank you, thank you!!! I included the eggy image yesterday simply because it had been on my mind and also followed on so neatly from the gorgeous pics of the Bridal Crown narcissus. Sort of a colour-coded train of thought.

Seeing as many of you asked, I thought I would share J's method.

You need a pan with a lid :: J uses our deep sided frying pan as it's easier to crack the eggs directly into the water when you use a shallow pan. But I've successfully poached in an ordinary saucepan by cracking the egg into a small plastic bowl first, then gently sliding the egg from the bowl into the water.

Boil the kettle, then add the hot water to the pan, you only need about an inch of water, just enough to cover the egg. Then add 2tbs of white vinegar to the water (that's the important bit. The vinegar is Completely Essential). Allow the water to come up to the boil, it should just be starting to bubble, but not at a rolling boil. Now put your egg in, as explained above, you can either crack it directly into the water, or slide it in from a bowl.

The addition of the vinegar is nothing short of miraculous. If you've ever tried to poach an egg without vinegar (and I have) you will know what a disaster it is. I don't know the science behind it, but I do know that the vinegar magically makes the egg white behave itself and stops it from going all chaotic and naughty in the water. Instead of flailing about going all stringy, it sits in a sweet little plump package, all neat and perfect and marvelous looking. What a good egg! Clever vinegar!

Right...as soon as the egg's in the water and looking good, turn the heat off, clamp on the pan lid and time it for 5 minutes. Just five.

In that five minutes, you can pootle a little in the kitchen. Unload the dishwasher, admire your crockery, dance to music. Oh, and get your toasty egg-bed ready too. Cos a beautifully poached egg does need a suitable bed to sit on, and the bed needs to be ready and waiting so that the egg can come straight out the pan when it's done. Timing is everything here.

After five minutes your egg should be poached to perfection. Beautifully creamy cooked white, with a scrummy, softly runny yolk. Lift it immediately out of the water with a slotted spoon and drain it well so that it doesn't make the toast all soggy.

Place the egg ceremoniously on it's bed :: in the case of this morning's breakfast it was a toasted English muffin spread with butter and topped with slivers of smoked salmon. Absolutely delicious, devoured with gusto and appreciation. Simple eating, you can't beat it.

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Comments

[Kristen]

Yummmmmm! I didn't know that vinegar trick--I always learn something from you. :)

[Emily]

It's one of my favorite meals - yum. I think your home is made by you and it will be where ever you are. X

[Abi]

That looks delicious - thanks Lucy! Poached eggs on toast next Saturday morning. Can't wait! :)

[Stocki]

Ooo nom nom nom!! :)x

[beach bungalow]

Not much for poached eggs, but I LOVE your colourful bowls!

Sue
xo

[A.]

You made my mouth watered...

[Megan]

oh gosh! will be eating this very soon :-)

[Katie B]

Luce - I'll be a-poachin' eggs for Dan tonight with The Lucy Method! Lynne (remember?) came to stay this weekend - what a tonic - and loved your gorgeous blog too. LOL, Katie B x x

[Lisa G.]

Thanks for the tip. Love the label on your vinegar bottle! If they sold that brand in Connecticut, I'd surely buy it! (but why they'd need to ship vinegar in from the UK, I hardly know)

[es]

Hi Lucy,
I'm at lunch at work eating a beef stew with a half boiled egg( just cooked like your yolk) from last night left over.
Porched eggs are my favorite!

[Sue Vaughan]

My mum uses the same method and they always come out perfect. Mine always look like 'little brains' the white part floating ghostily (is that a word?!)away from the yolk. I will try again I think because yours look delicious! Sue x

[winkieflash]

This looks absolutely divine, and also easy to make! Must try it for tomorrow's breakfast.
xo,
wink
ps In the meantime, could you please post these things in the mornings next time?! It's after dinner and after seeing this I'm starving for eggs! :D

[Ellie]

Oh thank you! That is a little tip I didn't even know I'd been waiting for. I rarely poach eggs because of the brilliantly described sprawling mess it creates. Now I shall be getting out the vinegar and I imagine my little jammers will be sick of them by the end of the week!
Have a great half term
Ellie
x

[Alice]

Hi Lucy,
It's Heather's sister Alice here, she said to come and say hi :) I'm just discovering how therapeutic blogging can be - it's just nice to organise your thoughts and talk about things that you maybe otherwise wouldn't. Personally, I don't like eggs, or salmon, but the picture at the end looked like something out of a magazine! And your dishwasher contents is suitably colourful - I love it!
I've heard so much about you, it was nice to finally 'meet' you. Hope you enjoyed your eggs, Alice x

[aliceinthemiddle]

I am soooooooooo excited that I am going home and making this tonight!!!!! My mom could do a poached or soft boiled egg just right but I have NEVER been able to get it to work. The white was always a little runny or the yolk was always a little too firm. Thank You So Much. AND we love you for whatever you feel like writing; it isn't just for your mad crochet and craft skills, just so you know. :)

GREAT WEEK EVERYONE!

[Pennyblossoms (Zoe)]

Ooo, poached eggy love. 'Fraid I do mine in a nifty little 'poached egg pan' with those little bowls to cook them in! Yummy and I don't feel guilty, (as with a fried egg!).
Need to upgrade my meal with some smoked salmon. Delish!
Your home is that, a beautiful, lived in, loved place with memories held from allsorts. I think it doesn't matter how much space you have you'll always expand into more if given the opportunity! I was lucky to grow up with an acre and a half garden with woodland but look how much fun your children have. Doesn't strike me that they miss not having their own!
Sorry this is a ramble, but hey ho! Oh, and I can smell those daffs from here!
Z xx

[Tracy McDermott]

Just wanted you to know your blogging pages have gone a bit higgledy piggledy towards the bottom of the pages. Why does technology have to give us a headache eh? Hope you can sort it easily.
I was scrolling through to see what make of DK cotton yarn you use.
Regards
Tracy

[Tina, the quiet homemaker]

Clever you! I use poaching pods to do mine, the ones from Lakeland. Little yellow silicone boats to float the eggs in, such fun. :) Nothing like a poached egg on toast. Gluten-free toast for me, and my eggs cooked a bit longer. Yummy, simple goodness. (makes you want to get hens!) xx

[Elizabeth Hansen]

Hi, Lucy! Your poached eggs are one of my very favorite breakfasts! Sometimes, I place my egg into a buttered custard cup, set it in the pan of simmering water and watch it cookfor about 5 mins. No vinegar needed, just shallow, simmering water, and then pop it out onto a buttered toast! Yummies! Your crocheting is just absolutely beautiful! I enjoy the bright colors, patterns, and the fact that you are a stay-at-home Mom! One of the best jobs in the whole world! Congrats! All the best from Pennsylvania, USA.

[Janet]

I've never had poached eggs, but I love eggs where the yolk is barely cooked, so I am going to try this! Thank you! :-)

[domesticlou]

Gosh that looks REALLY good ;-) Glad you are feeling better.

[Jackie]

Thanks for posting this I will be trying your method very soon

[Emily]

'Winter blahs'? That has to be the most apt expression I've heard for a very long time! Perfectly describes what happens to me at this time of year. I'm feeling your pain re the size of the house - there are five of us in our three-bedroom semi and at times it feels like were are literally bursting out at the seams. Erk.
Hope the egg did the trick (I find a wodge of chocolate helps the mood too)
Emily x

[Allison]

You have 3 kids and you're managing to have poached eggs on smoked salmon for breakfast ... no need to worry about your parenting skills. You've clearly got it taped. :) Looks so yummy!

[Nina C]

Yummy! I think I found dinner for tonight!