A Guide to Poaching Eggs: Tips and Techniques for Perfect Results

If you love going out for brunch for the perfectly poached eggs, you’re in luck! Learn how to poach eggs and enjoy a restaurant-quality brunch right at home – it’s easier than you think.

Poached egg on eggs benedict. The egg has been cut to allow the yolk to run out.

Long-time readers will know that I am a big fan of keeping a bunch of baking and cooking basics at your fingertips. I can’t tell you how often I need to whip up a buttermilk substitute or know how to brown butter or how to roast garlic.

You could probably go your whole life without knowing how to poach eggs, but it’s a great trick to know if you want to take your brunch game to the next level. Or if you really love a runny egg yolk!

Luckily, poaching eggs is a lot easier than you probably think.

What is a Poached Egg?

Poached eggs are eggs cooked outside of the shell in a bath of barely simmering water. The result is an egg where the white is solid and wrapped around a still-runny yolk. Both the runny yolk and cooking outside of the shell are key to a poached egg – very different from a hard-boiled egg or even a soft-boiled egg!

Poached eggs are most famous for being part of eggs benedict, but they are delicious in many other ways. They are also infamous for being hard to cook. But don’t panic: once you know a few key tips, you’ll find that poached eggs are actually very easy to make. And they’re an effortless way to impress any brunch guest!

Simmering water in a sauce pot.

How to Poach Eggs

Let’s discuss how to do this. There are endless shortcuts and gadgets out there claiming to make poaching eggs easier, but in my opinion, the traditional method is still the best way to go.

Poached Eggs in the Microwave

One of the many poached egg “hacks” involves using the microwave. There are even microwave egg poaching gadgets available. I’ll describe how to poach eggs in the microwave, but remember three important points:

  1. They won’t look exactly like a restaurant poached egg,
  2. Sometimes the white can get a little rubbery, and
  3. If you’re not careful, the yolk can explode.

If you opt for the microwave method, add about ½ cup of water to a microwave-safe mug. Gently crack an egg into the cup, ensuring it’s submerged in the water. Use a toothpick to prick the yolk. While this step is optional, it helps prevent the yolk from exploding during cooking.

Cover the mug with a plate or saucer and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Check the egg and continue cooking in 10-second increments until it reaches your desired doneness. When finished, remove the egg with a slotted spoon and serve as desired. Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper! Make sure to poach only one egg at a time with this method.

Adding vinegar to a cracked egg in a ramekin.

How to Poach Eggs on the Stove

The microwave method is acceptable, but learning to poach eggs on the stove yields the best results! To poach eggs on the stove, bring a pot of water to a simmer. You want about 2 inches of water – using a saucepan or high-sided skillet is ideal.

While waiting for the water to simmer, crack an egg into a ramekin and add a tiny splash of vinegar. This helps the egg retain its shape. Some people add vinegar to the water, but my chef friend taught me to add it directly to the egg, and it works great.

Egg being lowered into simmering water for poaching.

Once the water starts to simmer, grab a wooden spoon and stir the water to create a vortex or “whirlpool” in the center. Gently lower the egg into the center of the whirlpool. The swirling water helps wrap the egg white around the yolk. Cook at a gentle simmer for 3-4 minutes until the white is set but the yolk remains runny. My preferred time is 3½ minutes.

Remove the eggs from the water using a slotted spoon and let any excess water drain onto a layer of paper towels before serving.

Egg poaching in a pot of simmering water.

You can continue to poach more eggs in the simmering water. Depending on your pot size, you can poach 2, 3, or even 4 eggs at once – just keep the water swirling and add the eggs one after the other. However, I recommend practicing with one egg first and building your confidence before trying multiple eggs!

Slotted spoon lifting a poached egg out of the cooking water.

Prepare Ahead of Time

If you’re hosting a brunch and want to avoid spending all your time at the stove poaching a dozen eggs, you can prepare the eggs in advance and quickly reheat them before serving!

Poach the eggs as instructed, but immediately drop them into an ice bath upon removing them from the pot. You can refrigerate the eggs until you’re ready to serve, up to overnight.

When you’re ready to serve, add the eggs to simmering water for 1-2 minutes until heated through. Tip: Place several poached eggs in a metal steamer basket and lower the basket into the simmering water, then lift it out when done to reheat multiple eggs at once!

Two poached eggs resting on a paper towel.

Serving Suggestions

As mentioned, eggs benedict is one of the most famous ways to serve poached eggs, but it’s not the only option! Try serving your poached eggs on top of avocado toast or over steamed asparagus. They are great on a slice of buttered sourdough toast or alongside crispy potatoes or creamy grits. Essentially, wherever you enjoy a runny egg, a poached egg will fit right in!

Two poached eggs on top of arugula and Canadian bacon on English muffins.
  • Bring a pot filled with about 2 inches of water to a simmer.

  • Crack an egg into a ramekin. Add a splash of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

  • Once the water begins to simmer, use a wooden spoon to stir the water, creating a bit of a “whirlpool” in the center of the water. Gently lower the egg into the water; the swirling water will help to nest the egg white around the yolk.

  • Simmer for 3-4 minutes, until the white is set and the yolk is still runny.

  • Remove from the water with a slotted spoon. Place on a layer of paper towels to remove the excess water; serve immediately.

  • If not serving immediately, place the eggs in an ice bath immediately upon removing from the pot. Refrigerate for up to overnight; reheat briefly in simmering water (about 1-2 minutes) before serving.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *