For many of you brunch lovers out there, eggs are best when poached. You can stop arguing about the best method; everyone’s a winner here. Carla Lalli Music, food director at Bon Appétit, demonstrates three to make perfect poached eggs.
Obviously, to poach eggs, you’re gonna need some, well, eggs. At the BA Text Kitchen, we use large eggs, not extra-large or jumbo. And of course, the fresher, the better.
Poached Egg #1: Egg for One
Breakfast in less than 5 minutes? Yes please! Bring a small pot of water (unsalted!) to a simmer; do not let it boil. Crack a large egg into a small bowl. Using a spoon, stir vigorously to create a spinning vortex. Once the water looks all tornado-y, stir in the egg. Set the timer for 2 minutes, 30 seconds and let the egg cook undisturbed. Remove the poached egg with a slotted spoon. Give it a light touch; once it hits “plump baby cheek” status you’re good to go.
Poached Egg #2: The Aussie Way
Down Under, Australians poach their eggs into more oblong shapes with what looks like a comet’s tail trailing at one end. Sound complicated? It’s not at all; the key is to use a large, deep pot and whisk. Gravity will pull the yolk down in the deeper pot, forming the shape and tail. As Carla says, it will taste “more Australian…somehow.”
Poached Egg #3: For a Crowd
When there are a lot of mouths to feed, simply use a large, wide Dutch oven so you have a lot of surface area to work with. Bring the water to a simmer, then stagger the eggs 30 seconds apart when you’re cooking. The most important part, however, is to transfer the eggs to an ice bath when they’re done. It will stop the cooking process immediately, and you can also store the eggs in the water for up to three days. At breakfast time, bring another large pot of water to just a simmer, lower the eggs in, and reheat 30 seconds. Serve over grits, greens, bread, or seasoned on their own. Easiest brunch-for-a-crowd ever.
