Without question my favorite way to cook eggs, of the various methods, is to poach them and it was something that I spent my student days trying very hard to perfect, whilst studying of course. Each weekend during my chef college days I would head to the store for some Norco Ranch eggs, they always seemed to be the most sturdy, and tried out a variety of different methods of cooking my favorite eggs.

The reason I love poached eggs so much is the soft texture and the grey center as well as the flexibility which they have, you can put them on toast for breakfast or on a sad for lunch. If you love poached eggs like me and want to know how best to cook them, here are some of the best methods to do so.

Straight Into Water

This is how I always cook my poached eggs these days but it is not necessarily the easiest of methods. The reason I like cooking them like this is that they have a really great shape once they are done and the look a little less ‘polished’ on the plate. You must bring some water to the boil, make sure that the pan is full, once the water is boiling, use a utensil to gently turn the water so that it begins to spin and crack the egg directly into the center. Remove the pan from the heat and let the egg sit in it for around 3-4 minutes before removing from the water and serving. If you want them to be perfect then place in an ice bath once done although this is not absolutely necessary.

Cling Film

To get an egg shaped poached egg, place some cling film over the top of a cup or a glass, push down the cling film so that it creates a dip in the middle and crack your egg inside. Pinch each side of the cling film and twist it over the egg, this will create an egg shaped parcel, twist the cling film so that it won’t open up an then place it in boiling water for around 5 minutes. Once you remove the parcel from the water you will be left with a beautiful poached egg that looks more like a boiled egg in terms of shape.

Egg Poacher

If you are not feeling adventurous then you can actually buy frying pans which are designed for poaching eggs. These pans have a small tray that slots inside with four individual egg holders, simply place some boiling water in the pan, crack your eggs into the holders and place above the water. Usually these take a bit longer to cook so you should leave them for 5-6 minutes before removing serving. These work well and do make a lovely poached egg.

What is your favorite way to cook eggs? Let us know in the comments below.