Poached eggs can be a disaster, and you can end up with the egg scattered all over the boiling water, or you can end up with seriously hard yolks. But what is the trick to the perfect poached egg?
The quest for a perfect poached egg, especially when it’s destined to crown your avocado on toast with a dash of feta, is fraught with potential mishaps.
Those aiming for that delicious pop of the yolk might find their eggs disintegrating into the water or end up with yolks firmer than desired, which can be seriously disappointing.
So many may be wondering what the secret to achieving poached perfection really is. And it turns out, It might be an additional step many have yet to embrace.
Food enthusiast Ciara (@thetummyfairy) swears by her foolproof hack for impeccably poached eggs every time – it’s all about eliminating that pesky stringy white.
“The foolproof trick is to get rid of the stringy egg white layer using a sieve,” she ensures. “So crack your egg into the sieve and allow the thinner part of the egg white to strain out for about 20 seconds; this will give you those perfectly round poached eggs. Then transfer to a ramekin for easy transfer to your water.”
For prime poached eggs, Ciara advises to fill a pan with water, simmer it gently, stir in half a tablespoon of vinegar, and carefully slide the eggs into the whirlpool.
Her tip: Cook “for around five minutes” or until they’re as gooey as you fancy. She detailed: “Once the eggs are cooked, carefully lift them out to drain and use a paper towel to remove any excess water”.
And just like that, you have the ideal poached eggs! What’s not to like?
How to cook a poached egg using the sieve method
- Fill a pan with water and bring it to a simmer
- Strain your egg to remove the gloopy part of the egg white
- Swirl your water and gently tip in the egg
- Poach the egg for approximately five minutes, when it should have firmed up but still have a runny centre
- Remove with a slotted spoon to drain off any excess water
- Serve with accompaniments of your choice – whether this be on avocado toast, on top of grilled asparagus or with an indulgent fry-up
