Poached eggs are kind of the Holy Grail of eggs.
They seem all fancy and highbrow because they're usually found at some crowded brunch spot. They're kinda...MAGICAL. And they seem hard to make. Oh, just drop this egg with no shell into a pot of water? What could possibly go wrong?
But they are actually pretty easy to make once you get the hang of it. Here's how:
1. Start by filling a wide pot with about 3 inches of water. Heat it over medium heat until you start to see a few bubbles.
2. Once the water is at a light simmer (i.e. you see those bubbles), add 1 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar.
3. Crack the egg into a little cup or mug and gently lower it into the water.
Don't just drop it in there, gently *ease* it into the water.
4. Using the handle of a wooden spoon (or just any spoon/fork is fine, too), immediately start swirling the water clockwise around the egg.
You don't want to *touch* the egg — just get the water moving like a whirlpool to encourage the white to wrap around the yolk, so you get a nice, egg-shaped...egg.
This will also prevent the egg from sinking to the bottom, which you def do not want. (Uneven cooking, sticking, other terrible things, etc.)
5. Other than that, don't touch it for 2 minutes. No poking, no prodding. Just let it gently cook and do its thing.
If you notice the water getting too hot, so that it starts to boil rather than simmer, adjust the heat accordingly.
6. After 2 minutes, using a slotted spoon, pull the egg out of the water and feel the white. It should be just set (kinda bouncy), and the inside of the center (where the yolk is) should be super squishy a.k.a. runny.
7. Then gently set the egg on a paper-towel lined plate (to dry it) then season it with salt and pepper.
Then go ahead and upgrade that avocado toast, y'all.
A here's a video!
View this video on YouTube
For more tips on how to cook every type of egg perfectly, head HERE.
