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Poached Eggs

Poached eggs are eggs gently cooked in simmering water until the whites set and yolks remain runny.

From an old cookbook · modernised transcription
From a historical cookbook (Internet Archive) · 2 ingredients
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Poached Eggs

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Bring a pot of water to a brisk boil.

  2. Carefully lower the eggs into the boiling water using a large spoon.

  3. Poach the eggs for 1 to 2 minutes until the white is set but the yolk remains runny.

  4. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and serve immediately.

Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.

Explore the science

What each ingredient does

Eggs
The protein sets around the yolk, forming a tender white while the yolk stays liquid.

The step that matters

Poaching the eggs for 1 to 2 minutes. Egg white begins to set around 60°C and firms as it heats, while the yolk needs much more heat to thicken. Stopping at the right moment keeps the white set and the yolk runny. Overcooking tightens the yolk; undercooking leaves the white loose.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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