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Poaching eggs is an important technique to perfect in the kitchen, here at Taste Buds Kitchen we poach eggs for our Adult Brunch cooking class to top our Eggs Benedict and Eggs Florentine.   We also teach this advanced technique to our older kids during cooking camps when they have team cooking challenges.

What is a poached egg?  A poached egg is an egg that has been slowly simmered in water cooking the outside white until firm with no raw white remaining while leaving the yolk runny in the center

What you will need:

• eggs
• small bowls (one for each egg)
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• medium pot
• slotted spoon

The first thing to look for is what kind of egg to use, the best results come from extremely fresh eggs, the older the egg the more “webs” the egg white will create.

Prepare eggs by cracking them into small bowls, one for each egg, this way you can easily slide them into the simmering poaching liquid.

To prepare Poaching Liquid: Bring a pot of water to a boil, and reduce down to a simmer – add in a small amount (about 1 teaspoon) of vinegar to the water.  Be careful not to add too much vinegar to the poaching water as this can result in a strong taste and dry egg.

When water has reduced to a simmer, add eggs in gently one at a time.  Multiple eggs can be poached at the same time – make note as to which egg was added to water first.  Eggs should take 4-6 minutes to cook, depending on how firm you like your poached eggs.

Gently remove eggs with a slotted spoon, feel for doneness with your finger – you are looking for a firm outside that holds its shape while remaining soft on the inside.

Poached eggs can be prepared in advance and stored on a paper towel lined tray until ready to use, to warm back up dip into simmering water for 30 seconds ahead of plating your recipe.

In addition to breakfast, Poached Eggs are a great addition to pasta dishes, salads or simply on top of toast to add extra protein and flavor – this will definitely impress at your next dinner party.