How to poach an egg four different ways - and all the tools you need to do it

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How to poach an egg four different ways - and all the tools you need to do it

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poached egg

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  • Poaching an egg means cooking it in hot water without the shell to get a tender, delicately cooked white and a runny yolk.
  • Poached eggs can be enjoyed on their own and are also used in Eggs Benedict, salads, and sandwiches.
  • You can poach an egg using nothing more than a pan of water and a spoon, but there are also dedicated egg poaching cups and appliances you can use to make the process much easier.
  • Here's how to poach an egg and a rundown of the tools you need to do it perfectly every time.

Have you ever wondered why poached eggs are called that? Apparently, it traces back to the Medieval French word poché, which meant either pocket or small pouch. As the whites of a properly poached egg formed a sort of pouch around the yolk, the name stuck and we continue to use a variation of it today.

There, now that's everything you need to know about the poached egg, so go make a great breakfast!

Alright, fine, let's talk about how to poach an egg. It's a topic that even many a competent amateur chef avoids, as poached eggs have a reputation for being notoriously hard to prepare.

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But don't you worry, they're not - not without a bit of confidence and a little practice - or with a dedicated egg poaching tool that does all the work for you. We break down how to poach an egg in four different ways with a variety of tools.

Click on a link to jump to an egg poaching method:

  • How to poach an egg with a slotted spoon and a pot of water
  • How to poach an egg with poaching cups
  • How to poach an egg with an egg poacher
  • How to poach eggs without a microwave or stovetop

Keep scrolling to learn how to poach an egg four different ways with the best tools.

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How to poach an egg from scratch

How to poach an egg from scratch

You already have all the tools you need to poach an egg in your kitchen, and all the skills you need right there in your two hands.

But just to be sure, you'll need a decent small or medium saucepan and a slotted spoon. I've always liked the affordable pans from T-fal and OXO's stainless steel slotted spoon.

Now, here's all there is to it:

  1. Fill the pan halfway with water and bring it to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer.
  2. Crack an egg into a small cup (like a measuring cup or teacup).
  3. Gently "slide" the egg unto the water by lowering the cup into the water then tipping it so the egg slips out with minimal disturbance.
  4. Simmer away for four minutes, then lift the egg out with the slotted spoon, let it drip a bit, then serve and enjoy.

See? No big deal! Try it out a few times before you invite over everyone from the office for a fancy brunch party, but you can do it, you really can.

That said, if you still can take the pressure of the poach, or if you often need to prepare multiple poached eggs at the same time, there's lots of fine tools out there to help you get it done.

Buy the T-Fal Specialty 3 Quart Nonstick Saucepan on Amazon for $16.29 (originally $17.99) Buy the OXO Good Grips Brushed Stainless Steel Spotted Spoon on Amazon for $9.99 (originally $10.99)

How to poach an egg in the microwave

How to poach an egg in the microwave

Poching an egg in the microwave is the easiest, cheapest way, though note that the whites tend to be less delicate, and sometimes some of the yolk cooks depending on where it was resting in the whites.

All you need to poach an egg in the microwave is a set of poaching cups like these ones from COZILIFE.

And all you need to do is ...

  1. Pour about a quarter cup of water into your egg-poaching cup.
  2. Gently crack an egg into the cup, then pierce the yolk with a toothpick (to prevent explosions).
  3. Cover the egg with another tablespoon of water.
  4. Microwave at full power for one minute.

And that should be that. If your egg is too runny, next time try 1:10. Too hard, try 00:55. And so on. If you demand perfectly poached eggs, four, five, or even six at a time, then you need to get some more serious hardware.

Buy the COZILIFE Silicone Egg Poaching Cups (Pack of 4) on Amazon for $13.97 (originally $19.97)
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How to poach an egg with an egg poacher

How to poach an egg with an egg poacher

Egg poachers are stovetop cooking tools that feature multiple individual cups for eggs and a base in which water can simmer, causing the eggs to cook through trapped steam.

These handy egg poachers remove most of the chance of messing things up, and they're pretty cheap, really. I recommend you check out the poachers from Excelsteel and Eggsentials.

And here's how you do it:

  1. Pour a little less than an inch of water into the pan and bring it up to a steady simmer.
  2. Crack an egg into each poaching cup.
  3. Put the tray with the poaching cups into the pan, then put on the lid.
  4. Wait five minutes (tweak as preferred with experience) then take the pan of egg cups out and serve those poached eggs!
Buy the Excelsteel 18/10 Stainless 6 Cup Egg Poacher on Amazon for $24.99 (originally $29.95) Buy the Eggsentials Nonstick Poached Egg Maker on Amazon for $37.99

How to poach eggs without a stove or microwave

How to poach eggs without a stove or microwave

Yes, it can be done. With Cuisinart's Egg Central Egg Cooker or a similar device, you can poach an egg without a stove or a microwave.

This egg-shaped egg cooker requires only a standard wall outlet to work, so you college kids missing out on eggs in your dorm room or the office worker looking to make eggs in the cubicle? You're in luck. This thing can soft or hard boil eggs, and it can poach them, too.

Here's how to use it:

  1. Using the provided measuring cup, pour in the specified amount of water and heat up the cooker.
  2. Lightly coat the poached egg insert with cooking spray, then gently crack eggs into the cups.
  3. Put the insert into the cooker, put on the top, and wait about six minutes (again, alter to preference with experience).

And there you have it, eggs in a plug-in cooker, a stovetop poacher, the microwave, or as in the pan classics. Now it's time to host that brunch!

Buy the Cuisinart CEC-10 Egg Central Egg Cooker on Amazon for $34.99 (originally $36.95)
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