I need help with cooking poached eggs

[PJ]

I love to make eggs benedict. But when I poach my eggs in water with vinegar, they stick to the bottom of the pan every time. What am I doing wrong? I use a non-stick frying pan.

[Fuil Moinn]

Use a deeper pot. That will give the whites plenty of time to coagulate and cook before they hit bottom, and they shouldn't stick.

[sucrechef]

Fuil is right...you need a deeper pan. The water should be already at a SIMMER, not a boil, and the water should be deep enough so that the eggs never even touch the pan. Use a slotted spoon to remove and enjoy your eggs benedict.

[henry]

In addition to the vinegar, add a pinch of salt and a splash of flavorless veg oil to the water.
Blot your poached egg with a towel so you won't have a watery mess.
I like to add some fresh cooked spinach and a pan-grilled tomato slice along with the canadian bacon and/or ham on the english muffin.

Henry

[Suzanne]

Also, if you can cook the eggs one at a time, stir the water in the pot to make a whirlpool into which you can pour the egg. This will help the egg swirl its white together close in around the yolk. And remember that the fresher the egg, the less watery the white.

Henry -- I've never heard of adding oil -- what is that supposed to do?

[henry]

Suzanne,

Well I'm not exactly sure what the oil does. I work in a B&B (breakfast cook), and do a lot of poached eggs. One of the other cooks showed me this technique several years ago. We only use double-yolked eggs, which doesn't make a difference, but the finished result is compact kind of tall bundle of poached egg, which easily slides off the slotted spoon onto the muffin.

I use the swirl method if I only have one or two I'm doing, but it gets a little hectic when you're doing six at a time!

Poached eggs are my favorite kind, I like 'em when the yolks are just barely warm, the whites are completely done, a slight vinegar taste, and enrobe the yolk. With lots of fresh pepper.

[kuan]

So what happens when you don't have double yolk eggs? Does it mean you don't serve poached eggs?

[henry]

Kuan,
I've been there for four years and we've always had double-yolked eggs. It's one of our "things". We get a weekly delivery of the double yolkers. We do use regular eggs for baking and recipes since the double yolks have a larger volume/egg.
We make a special tarragon sauce that we serve with our eggs benedict and all its variations.

[shroomgirl]

Yum....tarragon sauce with poached eggs.....

[PJ]

Originally Posted by Fuil Moinn

Use a deeper pot. That will give the whites plenty of time to coagulate and cook before they hit bottom, and they shouldn't stick.

Thanks guys for the input. I was using a non-stick skillet, and guess it wasn't deep enough. I will try using a deeper pot as you advised. Thanks so much for the help.

[PJ]

Arial black

Originally Posted by sucrechef

Fuil is right...you need a deeper pan. The water should be already at a SIMMER, not a boil, and the water should be deep enough so that the eggs never even touch the pan. Use a slotted spoon to remove and enjoy your eggs benedict.

I appreciate all your help. Making benedick eggs tomorrow, and will try out the new technique. Thanks so much.

[PJ]

Originally Posted by henry

In addition to the vinegar, add a pinch of salt and a splash of flavorless veg oil to the water.
Blot your poached egg with a towel so you won't have a watery mess.
I like to add some fresh cooked spinach and a pan-grilled tomato slice along with the canadian bacon and/or ham on the english muffin.

Henry

I will try this recipe too. Thanks so much.

[silver2k]

i have a different method

boil water in a small pot
get about 10inch square piece of saran(or other brand) plastic wrap
crack egg into center of plastic wrap
pull edges up and twist forming a makeshift bag/pouch
drop pouch gently into boiling water

perfect poached eggs every time, no mess

[Suzanne]

What a great idea! Thanks, silver2k -- and welcome!!