How to Poach an Egg

This is an easy, step-by-step tutorial of How to Poach an Egg. We all love a perfectly poached egg with the perfectly runny yolk, but not everyone knows how to cook them. You’ll be a poaching expert after you use my tips and tricks because it’s easier than you think.

It is known that a good cook should know how to cook an egg. Be it fried, scrambled, hard or soft boiled and poached. Cooking eggs and getting the way you want them is not always an easy thing.

I think poached eggs are the most intimidating way to cook an egg for most people and most of us love a good eggs Benedict. Speaking of, I have a delicious recipe for Italian Eggs Benedict that uses ciabatta bread instead of English muffin, prosciutto instead of ham and a creamy Parmesan sauce instead of hollandaise sauce.

How to Poach an Egg –  Step by Step

Start with a wide, shallow pan, I like to use my high-sided sauté pan. A braising pan will also work. The wide surface area ensures there’s plenty of area so you can poach more than one egg at a time.

Fill the pan 1/2 way with water. Heat over medium heat until you start to see bubbles form and the temperature reaches 190 degrees F using a candy thermometer, then add 1 teaspoon white vinegar.

Can you use apple cider vinegar to poach an egg?

Yes, any light colored vinegar will work. Do not use dark balsamic vinegar or you may end up with odd colored or flavored eggs.  I believe lemon juice will also work, but I have not tried this.

Crack your egg into a small bowl. Turn the heat down to low and regulate it to keep the temperature at 190 degrees or a light simmer. Do not allow the water to boil.  Use a whisk to stir the water in a circular motion to create a vortex and pour the egg into the center while the water is spinning.

How long do you poach an egg?

4 1/2 minutes seems to work for me at a low simmer.

The egg will cause the temperature of the water to fall slightly, so keep an eye on the temperature and adjust the heat accordingly. Have a folded towel next to the pan to drain the egg of the excess water when it comes out.

Cook the egg for 4 1/2 minutes, then remove using a slotted spoon onto the towel. I have this nice flat slotted spoon you see above that’s perfect for removing the egg.

If you are cooking more than 1 egg at a time, as people usually do, once the egg has started to turn white in the water, you can move it off to the side and add another egg to the pan. Just make sure you keep an eye on which egg is which.

Alternatively, you can have a second towel handy and transfer all the cooked eggs to it and cover lightly with foil, they will stay warm for up to 10 minutes until all your eggs are cooked.

Can you warm up a poached egg?

Yes, but the yolk may not be runny. The only way to ensure that you get a runny yolk when reheating is to under-cook the egg by 1 minute first.

Can you poach an egg in the microwave?

Yes. Fill a microwave-safe bowl halfway with water and a little vinegar. Crack an egg into the water and cover. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Now that you know how to poach the perfect egg, why not try my recipe for Italian eggs benedict?

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