Poached eggs
Poached eggs are cooked, without the shell, in barely simmering (nearly boiling) water. White should be firm and yolk soft, that's the difficulty. This recipe teaches you how to succeed with three important points.
331 K 3.7/5 (38 reviews)
2 hours 40 min.
Average
0.60 €
4 Poacheds eggs
2 IngredientsLast modified on: January 8th 2013
For 4 Poacheds eggs, you will need:
- 1
4 eggs - 2
2 tablespoons white (spirit) vinegar - Total weight: 230 grams
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 40 min.
Resting: 2 hours
Cooking: 3 min.
All in all: 2 hours 40 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - ⌛ 2 hours
1st important point: Remove 4 eggs from the fridge at least 2 hours in advance, you should use eggs at room temperature for the cooking time indicated below to work.
Stage 2 - ⌛ 10 min.
Bring a pan of unsalted water to boil. When boiling, pour in 2 tablespoons white (spirit) vinegar, and reduce heat to a simmering water.
That is the 2nd important point: your water should not be salted (salt disturbs the cooking of egg white), and simmering, not boiling, because big bubbles boiling produce irregular and ugly poached eggs.
Prepare a bowl of cold water.
That is the 2nd important point: your water should not be salted (salt disturbs the cooking of egg white), and simmering, not boiling, because big bubbles boiling produce irregular and ugly poached eggs.
Prepare a bowl of cold water.
Stage 3 - ⌛ 1 min.
Break the first egg into a cup.
Stage 4 - ⌛ 1 min.
Slip egg smartly into simmering water...
Stage 5 - ⌛ 1 min.
...and immediately gather the white around egg yolk to prevent egg spreading out too much.
If you have difficulty doing that, try this tip: with a tablespoon give one or two turn to the pan to make a small vortex in the water, then add egg and the vortex will do the gathering job for you.
If you have difficulty doing that, try this tip: with a tablespoon give one or two turn to the pan to make a small vortex in the water, then add egg and the vortex will do the gathering job for you.
Stage 6 - ⌛ 3 min.
Leave cook for 2 minutes and 30 seconds (3 minutes maximum). This cooking time is the 3rd important point for a perfect result.
Stage 7 - ⌛ 1 min.
After this time, remove egg from hot water and put it immediately into the bowl of cold water to stop the cooking.
Leave it in, and continue with all eggs.
Leave it in, and continue with all eggs.
Stage 8 - ⌛ 2 min.
With scissors, trim off any irregular lumps and trails of egg white to get as round and even an egg as possible.
Stage 9 - ⌛ 1 min.
Then put on a cloth to dry.
Stage 10 - ⌛ 20 min.
Do this with all eggs, your soft-boiled eggs are ready.
Remarks
Poached eggs are use in many recipes, cold or hot, but are always delicious.
If you want to reheat them, put in the microwave for 15 seconds, or leave 3 minutes in a bowl of hot tap water (not boiling).
If you make poached eggs in advance, the day before for example, leave to stand in a bowl of salted cold water in the fridge.
White vinegar is used because wine vinegar would stain the egg red.
If you want to reheat them, put in the microwave for 15 seconds, or leave 3 minutes in a bowl of hot tap water (not boiling).
If you make poached eggs in advance, the day before for example, leave to stand in a bowl of salted cold water in the fridge.
White vinegar is used because wine vinegar would stain the egg red.
Keeping: Several days in the fridge, in a closed jar.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 30 RDI=10 % | 0 | 20 RDI=3 % | 290 RDI=20 % | 1,230 RDI: 20 % |
| Per 100 g | 10 RDI=4 % | 0 | 9 RDI=1 % | 130 RDI=6 % | 530 RDI: 6 % |
| Per piece | 6 RDI=2 % | 0 | 5 RDI=1 % | 70 RDI=4 % | 310 RDI: 4 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 4 Poacheds eggs : 0.60 €
- Per Poached eggs : 0.15 €
Change currency:
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
Some other recipes using this recipeSee them all 10
Baked potatoes with poached egg and tuna sauce
You will no doubt have baked potatoes the classic way, but here's a version inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi, served with a delicious tuna and caper sauce, and a poached egg.
52 K 1 hour 20 min.
Eggs meurette
Eggs meurette or "œufs à la bourguignonne" is a great classic of French cooking, and of Burgundy in particular. It consists of poached eggs on a bed of fondue onions and bacon, served on a slice of fried bread. This is topped with a tasty reduced red wine sauce.
216 K 14.1 1 hour 15 min.
Salad lyonnaise
Salad lyonnaise conjures up the cuisine of the French city of Lyon and the region around: traditionally a salad of dandelion leaves with croutons, lardons and poached eggs. Here is a slightly simpler version with shredded lettuce instead of dandelions.
41 K 45 min.
Tartine du pêcheur
This is a French twist on that store-cupboard basic, sardines on toast: sardine fillets in oil and sliced spring onion, topped with a poached egg.
61 K4.7 15 min.
Poached eggs with spinach and Comté milk
The combination of eggs with spinach is always a winner, but this recipe elevates it to another level with the original and delicious flavour added by the Comté milk.
38 K 1 hour 7 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Egg
Like these other recipes: Antoinette's caramelized apple cake, Fish Mousselines, Toasted-flour biscuits, Almond mug cake for Mary, Meatballs, ... See them all 248
White (spirit) vinegar
Like these other recipes: Pickled gherkins, Fish petals, vegetables julienne, and beurre blanc, Caesar salad, Cervelle de Canut, How to prepare sorrel, ... See them all 18
Other recipes you may also like
Muffin dough
This dough can be used to make this delicious and classic of the English cooking: muffins. It can be sweet, in different flavours, with fruit, but also savoury in other recipes. February 6th 2013581 K5 25 min.
Blackcurrant sorbet for Edith
If you love the taste of blackcurrants (like Edith), this sorbet is for you... October 13th 2010267 K4.9 25 min.
Roast cabbage with lemon
It's not always easy to find new and appealing ways to cook cabbage, but this recipe – which is fairly simple – will give you a really delicious roast cabbage, flavoured with lemon and tarragon. August 26th 202060 K5 55 min.
Warm apple feuillantines
It's a rather long recipe but which never fails to impress, perfect for a special dinner party. It's made up of 3 circles: one almond "tuile", 2 of caramelized brik sheets, with a caramelized apple layer between each, whipped cream on top, and custard all around. Everything, except whipped cream, can be made beforehand. May 28th 2012340 K5 3 hours 9 min.
Bouquet garni
Used very frequently in French cuisine, a secret of French chefs, it adds flavour to a lot of recipes, and it's easy to prepare. The basic principle is to make a small bundle of herbs, bind them in green leek leaves and to tie it up, so that the whole thing can be removed and discarded easily after cooking. March 21th 2017437 K3.5 15 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2026-02-08)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe (as 2 people already do)
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.