Eggs are the staples of any delicious breakfast, and there is nothing better than a silky poached egg with a runny yolk on top of a piece of buttery toast.
Poached eggs may seem simple enough to cook but there is a technique to making them, as several things can go wrong leading them to turn out rubbery or an egg that breaks apart when cooking.
Jeanine Donofrio, a bestselling cookbook author has shared how to make “poached eggs perfectly every time” using her “super simple” techniques.
On her website Love&Lemons, Jeanine wrote: “Poached eggs might seem fancy, but they’re actually really simple to make at home. My method for how to poach an egg takes minutes, uses basic equipment, and requires 3 ingredients.
“Better yet, the eggs always come out with firm, yet delicate, whites and tempting runny yolks. Try it once, and you’ll be making perfect poached eggs in no time!”
READ MORE: Jamie Oliver shares top tip for poached eggs – ‘gorgeous’ every time
How to make the perfect poached egg
1. To make a “super simple” poached egg, first crack an egg into a small bowl.
This is done to allow you to gently slip the egg into a pot of boiling water once you are ready to cook to help the egg keep its shape once it is in the water.
2. Next, heat a pot of water on the stove so it is shimmering. It should be hot enough for bubbles to begin forming at the bottom of the pot and steam coming from the water, but it should not be rapidly bubbling.
3. Jeanine’s secret to making a delicious poached egg is to add a tablespoon of white wine vinegar to the pot of boiling water.
She wrote: “Stir the water in a circular motion to create a vortex at the centre of the pot. Carefully pour the cracked egg into the centre of the vortex, and gently stir again.”
Adding white wine vinegar when poaching an egg is a common cooking technique, as the acid in the vinegar helps the egg coagulate quickly, which makes the egg keep its shape when cooking.
Jeanine said: “Don’t skip the vinegar. Trust me, I’ve tried it. The vinegar is essential for helping the egg coagulate in the simmering water. Without it, the white and the yolk will separate as the egg cooks. No thanks!”
4. While your egg is cooking, set a timer for three and a half minutes minutes. Leave the egg to cook and then use a slotted spoon to remove it from the pot once it is fully cooked.
Jeanine said: “Some egg white may rise to the surface of the water as the egg cooks. That’s ok! Just skim it off the top and continue cooking.”
5. Test if the egg is firm enough. Jeanie wrote: “Lightly tap it with your finger to test for doneness. Feel free to return it to the water if you prefer a firmer yolk.”
6. Season it with salt and pepper, and your perfectly poached egg is now ready to serve. You can put them onto avocado toast or even make an egg benedict for your breakfast.
Jeanine wrote: With their delicate whites and rich, runny yolks, poached eggs are delicious on their own. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper and enjoy them as they are, with good crusty bread for sopping up any runaway yolk.”
