Poached eggs for beginners: The step-by-step guide

Ideal for Sunday brunch, poached eggs are delicious with their creamy yolks. We tell you how to make poached eggs. Two foolproof techniques to help you lose your fear of making them.

It is one of our favorite techniques for cooking great staples of food worldwide. There are few things more delicious than a poached egg with its creamy yolk sliding over avocado toast, smoked salmon, or bacon, not to mention if it's covered with the essential Hollandaise sauce of Eggs Benedict.

Their flavor and texture are absolutely irresistible, and they are quite light. They have a bad reputation for being difficult to make, but nothing could be further from the truth. They are a bit delicate, yes, but we encourage you to lose your fear, learn the technique, and follow our step-by-step guide to see how simple and quick it is to make an egg this way. You have two options for it, choose whichever you prefer!

What NOT to Do When Making Poached Eggs 

• Do not boil the water rapidly, because it breaks the egg white apart and disperses it.
• Do not drop the egg from a high distance; it is better to crack it into a small bowl and place it close to the saucepan to add it. This will prevent both the white and the yolk from scattering.
• Do not choose old eggs; use fresh eggs instead, and take them out of the refrigerator a little beforehand, so the white isn't too liquid and doesn't disperse during cooking. According to chef Alain Passard, considered the "king of eggs" for his most iconic dish, l’œuf à la coque chaud-froid (a masterpiece of simplicity), 80% of the success of this technique is using fresh eggs.
• If you choose the whirlpool technique, don't forget to add a little splash of vinegar so the egg doesn't fray. Unlike other chefs, Passard avoids a strong whirlpool; he prefers calm water. Galician chef Pepe Solla insists on gentleness and recommends that the water should be around 185–194 °F, with small bubbles but without heavy boiling.
• Do not exceed the cooking time so that the yolk doesn't lose its liquid texture, which is the beauty of a poached egg. According to the great French chef, who has held 3 Michelin stars since 1996 at his Parisian restaurant L’Arpège, 2 and a half minutes are enough for a perfect liquid yolk.
• Do not cook several eggs at once if you don't have experience, because they will blend and lose their shape. It is preferable to make them one by one.
• If you don't dry the egg, you run the risk of watering down the dish you are going to serve it on: toast, rice, pasta, salad, etc. Gently dry it with a bit of paper towel.

How to Make a Poached Egg with Plastic Wrap 

You only need an egg, water, salt, pepper, olive oil, and plastic wrap.

• Bring a saucepan with water to the stove.
• Line the inside of a small bowl or a cup with a square piece of plastic wrap about 8 to 10 inches on each side.
• Add a tiny drop of olive oil and spread it a bit over the plastic; this will prevent the egg from sticking to the plastic once cooked.
• Crack the egg into the bowl lined with plastic wrap.
• Add a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper, aromatized salt or other spices/aromatic herbs also work great.
• Close the plastic wrap by making a knot or using a string, forming a little pouch. You can insert a skewer through the knot to remove it later without burning yourself.
• It is convenient to squeeze all the air out of the pouch before closing it, to prevent it from floating too much in the water during cooking.
• Submerge the little pouch in the hot water, ensuring it does not reach a rapid boil, and cook for 4 minutes.
• Remove it, carefully cut the wrap with a knife or scissors, and gently slide the poached egg out to eat and enjoy.

How to Make a Poached Egg: In a Whirlpool of Water with a Little Vinegar

• Crack an egg into a cup, taking care not to break the yolk, and set it aside.
• Pour a splash of vinegar into a saucepan with water and place it on the heat.
• When it is about to start boiling, lower the heat. The water must be very hot but not boiling; there should be no large bubbles.
• Create a gentle whirlpool in the water with a spoon.
• Drop the egg right into the center of the whirlpool.
• Cook for 3 minutes, until the white is opaque and set. The yolk will remain liquid, covered only by a thin outer layer that is slightly softer in color than when raw.
• Carefully remove the egg using a slotted spoon and dry it gently.