Poached Eggs

[Florence Fennel]

How do you make those perfectly lovely shaped boiled eggs please? I've been trying for years using various methods but never quite managed it. Someone now tells me that Poach Pods from Lakeland are brilliant. Ever since Snadger mentioned poached eggs, I can think of little else.

[Hazel at the Hill]

How do you make those perfectly lovely shaped boiled eggs please? I've been trying for years using various methods but never quite managed it. Someone now tells me that Poach Pods from Lakeland are brilliant. Ever since Snadger mentioned poached eggs, I can think of little else.

Yep - they are brilliant, Flo. Poachpods - a bit pricey at £4.99 for what they are (a bit of shaped silicone) but they work well and are easy peasy to clean.

Hmm. I feel a poached egg for lunch coming up!

[chris]

I bought them as my wife can't make poached eggs - I think it's easier to do them properly, unless I used them wrong? Are you supposed to splash the top or what?

If i have older eggs that I know will be runny then I'll poach them in a swirling pan of water, they swirl around itself, and maintain a decent shape.

Otherwise I do it in a frying pan with water in.

[Bren In Pots]

FF I use a poached egg pan bit like this one on eBay but mines 36 year old.

Ebay's also got the poachpods for around £6 with free postage or copies for £3 ish.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Are you supposed to splash the top or what?

No! The poach pod would sink in the water if you did that!

Simmer an inch or so of water in a pan, break egg into poach pod (they say to oil it, but I don't bother), lower into water - like a BOAT - cover with a lid, leave for six minutes. Eat.

[OverWyreGrower]

FF I use a poached egg pan bit like this one on eBay but mines 36 year old.

I've got a pan like Bren... mine is about 10 years old or so, although we were bought the Lakeland poachpods for christmas a couple of years ago as well

[LilB]

Otherwise I do it in a frying pan with water in.

I haven't tried poaching an egg yet but I'm sure I saw Delia Smith do it like this too.

[chris]

No! The poach pod would sink in the water if you did that!

Simmer an inch or so of water in a pan, break egg into poach pod (they say to oil it, but I don't bother), lower into water - like a BOAT - cover with a lid, leave for six minutes. Eat.

Ah, I didn't cover it - I wondered how else the top of the egg would cook I splashed it a bit, it went under but came back up.

Maybe i'll give them another go tonight.

[Hilary B]

We have a poacher like the one in Bren's link, but it takes forever in that, because the egg-pots are quite thick plastic. Mum used to have one with metal egg-pots, and that was nice and quick. We have been eating a lot of poached eggs lately and just cook them in a pan of boiling water, with salt and a splash of vinegar, it's quick, and if the egg is really fresh, it stays nice and tidy.

[ginger ninger]

I make mine the old fashioned way in hot simmering water with a splash of vinegar in it. NOW I feel like having poached eggs Flo ...has to be on thick sliced toast with proper butter on, none of this half fat rubbish

[Flummery]

Pan of hot, stirred water does it for me. There's just something about a poached egg isn't there?

[ginger ninger]

Pan of hot, stirred water does it for me. There's just something about a poached egg isn't there?

Especially when it's really fresh. A friend of mine brings me eggs from her chooks most weekends and there yummy.

[Bren In Pots]

We have a poacher like the one in Bren's link, but it takes forever in that, because the egg-pots are quite thick plastic. Mum used to have one with metal egg-pots, and that was nice and quick. .

Mines metal and the eggs are usually ready by the time we've buttered the toast : I did buy a posh plastic one to replace my battered old one but youngest daughter used it without putting water in the bottom pan so the eggs pots melted to the pan

[Two_Sheds]

I make mine the old fashioned way in hot simmering water with a splash of vinegar in it.

Me too. I can't eat them though: the only way I can eat eggs is hard boiled or omelette at a push. I can't abide the runny raw white you always seem to get with poached or fried, makes me gag

[sbeneli]

My method is to take a small ramekin, put a piece of cling film in it with a drop of oil, break the egg into the film, then twist it closed (if you have little plastic bag clips to hold it closed, then you can reuse the cling film to make more eggs). The ramekin is just to help it hold the shape. Then I just simmer each of the bundles in the water for the required amount of time.

If you skip the oil, then the egg will completely stick to the cling film, but you only need a tiny bit of it.