Poached Eggs

A flawless poached egg is compact, with glistening whites clinging around a barely set yolk. Always use the freshest eggs you can find for poaching: The thick albumen will hold its shape better around the yolk than that of old eggs. Fill a large, wide saucepan with water, and bring to boil. Break one egg at a time into a small heat-proof bowl, about the size of one egg. Reduce heat to medium, so that water is just simmering. Slightly immerse the bowl into the water, and carefully slide in the egg. After all the eggs are added, turn off heat, cover pot, and let stand 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, with the egg inside, briefly on a clean cloth to drain. If not serving eggs immediately, place then in a bowl of ice water to chill, then transfer to a covered container, and refrigerate. Re-heat before serving by immersing eggs in simmering water for 1 minute. Trim away ragged edges with a pair of kitchen scissors before serving, if desired. Back to How to Prepare Eggs