Easy Poached Eggs

Making these five-minute poached eggs is easy, and you don't need a special poacher.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 7

Total Time 9

Servings egg

Calories 73kcal

Fill a small saucepan with water and bring it to a gentle boil. Meanwhile, break the egg into a small bowl. This will make it easier to slide the egg into the hot water while keeping its shape.
1 large egg
When the water has reached a gentle boil, add the vinegar. The vinegar helps the egg white congeal.
1 tablespoon vinegar
Use a hand whisk to vigorously whisk the water, then slide the egg into the whirlpool. This will help the egg hold its shape when it first enters the water. If making more than one egg, repeat the process (use a larger saucepan).
If some of the egg white spreads out and does not curl around the yolk, gently push it in with a spoon.
Cover the pot, turn the heat off, and set the timer for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, use a slotted spoon to lift the egg out of the water and place it for a few seconds on a paper towel to drain.
The egg white should be cooked yet creamy, and the yolk should appear soft. When cut open, it should be thick but gooey. Season the egg with salt and pepper, and enjoy!
Pinch sea salt, Pinch black pepper

Read the article above the recipe card for my experience using a microwave and a stovetop poacher. Spoiler alert: I'm not a fan. :)
The vinegar helps the egg whites congeal. The faster the egg whites cook, the less risk the whole egg will disperse in the water, leaving you with an unappetizing boiled scramble.
Use the freshest eggs you can find. Fresh eggs hold their shape better because the whites are thicker and stay close to the yolk. Older eggs tend to spread out in the water and lose their shape.
If your saucepan is wide enough for the eggs to float without touching, you can poach several eggs at the same time. However, if you're new to poaching, it's easiest to do one or two at a time. Once you're comfortable, you can add more, making sure the water keeps a gentle simmer.
Five minutes should produce runny but jammy and thick yolks. That's exactly how I like them. If you like runnier yolks, keep the eggs in the hot water for just four minutes.
When you serve the eggs on any type of bread, drain them for a few seconds on a paper towel to prevent soggy bread.
I don't like storing these eggs, so I only make as many as my family will eat right away.
The FDA recommends cooking eggs thoroughly.