Julia Child's Simple Egg Hack Is A Game Changer

AKA how to make the best poached eggs ever.

Just about everybody knows who Julia Child is. She's the late culinary icon and author of Mastering the Art of French Cooking — a book that will go down in history as one of the greatest cookbooks ever.

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So when I came across one of her tips in her cookbook for perfectly preparing poached eggs, I knew it was worth sharing.

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Before diving into her method, Child emphasizes that using fresh eggs is "the most important requirement for poaching."

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Why? Because, as Child explains, "the yolk stands high, the white clings to it in a cohesive mass, and only a small amount of watery liquid falls away from the main body of the white."

But if your eggs are not that fresh, this is where her hack comes in handy: pre-boiling them in their shell!

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"If the eggs are not quite as fresh as you could wish," says Child, "simmer them in their shells for 8 to 10 seconds before poaching."

Yep, Child suggests boiling the eggs in their shells so the whites firm up just enough to hold toegether.

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"This will often firm up the white just enough so it will hold its shape around the yolk when the egg is broken into the water," says Child.

After that, Child cooks her poached eggs using a fairly common method.

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She cooks them in simmering water spiked with vinegar — nothing uncommon — and the whites stay perfectly together instead of flying everywhere.

So there you have it: child's simple hack for perfectly poaching eggs.

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What's your trick for cooking poached eggs? Let us know in the comments!

If you want to learn even more genius cooking tips from Child, grab her book. Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1 is available on Amazon for $28.95.

And if you're looking for even more genius cooking hacks, check out these posts:

• 26 Cooking Hacks Everyone Should Know About

• 11 Cooking Hacks That Are Total BS

• 18 Simple Kitchen Hacks That Will Save You A Ton Of Time