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How To Poach an Egg Perfectly

Firm whites, oozy, deep-golden yolks, and rich flavour, poached eggs are a delight and most importantly, much easier to perfect than you may think. Honestly! The little parcels of joy are perfect for Eggs Florentine and a host of other tasty breakfast and brunch dishes. So, keep reading to discover the secrets to poaching perfect eggs every time.

Top tips:

  • Always use fresh eggs. In a fresh egg, the yolk sits high and the white tightly encases the yolk. As eggs age, the white becomes looser, meaning they’ll be more prone to separate.
  • Use vinegar! Poaching an egg in a splash of vinegar helps the egg stay together while encouraging the egg whites to cook faster.
  • Crack the egg into a ramekin before dropping it into the water. This helps the egg to keep its shape.
  • Always swirl the water before dropping the egg in!
  • Only poach 1-2 eggs at a time. Poaching any more than this may cause the eggs to bump into each other and break apart.

  • Preparation time:
    4
    min(s)
  • Cooking time:
    4
    min(s)
  • Servings:
    1

What you'll need

  • 1 medium egg
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • Sea salt and cracked black pepper, to season

How to make

  1. Half-fill a large saucepan with salted water and add the vinegar. As soon as the water begins to boil, bring it to a light simmer over a medium heat.
  2. Crack your egg into a ramekin. For a perfect poached egg with no wispy white bits, use a fine mesh sieve or strainer when cracking the egg to remove the thinner, more liquid white. This will leave you with a firmer white to envelop your yummy yolk!
  3. Gently swirl the water as this will help the egg white to envelop the yolk. Then slowly slide the egg into the water, making sure the heat is low enough to keep the egg stable.
  4. For a super soft poached egg, cook your egg for around 2 minutes. For a soft to firm one, cook for around 4 minutes, until the white is cooked through.
  5. To check if your egg is done, carefully remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon then gently poke it with a teaspoon. If it feels too soft, pop it back into the pan and give it an extra minute to firm up!
  6. Remove your egg from the water using a slotted spoon and place it onto kitchen paper or a tea towel to get rid of excess water.
  7. Season with salt and pepper and serve on buttered toast. Delish!

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