A poached egg is an
egg
An egg is an organic vessel grown by an animal to carry a possibly fertilized egg cell (a zygote) and to incubate from it an embryo within the egg until the embryo has become an animal fetus that can survive on its own, at which point the a ...
that has been cooked, outside the shell, by
poaching
Poaching has been defined as the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights.
Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set a ...
(or sometimes
steaming
Steaming is a method of cooking using steam. This is often done with a food steamer, a kitchen appliance made specifically to cook food with steam, but food can also be steamed in a wok. In the American southwest, steam pits used for cooking ha ...
), as opposed to
simmering
Simmering is a food preparation technique by which foods are cooked in hot liquids kept just below the boiling point of water (lower than ) and above poaching temperature (higher than ). To create a steady simmer, a liquid is brought to a boil, ...
or
boiling
Boiling is the rapid vaporization of a liquid, which occurs when a liquid is heated to its boiling point, the temperature at which the vapour pressure of the liquid is equal to the pressure exerted on the liquid by the surrounding atmosphere. Th ...
. This method of preparation can yield more delicately cooked eggs than cooking at higher temperatures such as with boiling water.
Preparation
![Œufs pochés au champagne](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/%C5%92ufs_poch%C3%A9s_au_champagne.jpg)
The egg is cracked into a cup or bowl of any size, and then gently slid into a pan of water at approximately 75° C (167 °F) and cooked until the
egg white
Egg white is the clear liquid (also called the albumen or the glair/glaire) contained within an egg. In chickens it is formed from the layers of secretions of the anterior section of the hen's oviduct during the passage of the egg. It forms arou ...
has mostly solidified, but the
yolk
Among animals which produce eggs, the yolk (; also known as the vitellus) is the nutrient-bearing portion of the egg whose primary function is to supply food for the development of the embryo. Some types of egg contain no yolk, for example ...
remains soft. The "perfect" poached egg has a runny yolk, with a hardening crust and no raw white remaining. In countries that mandate universal salmonella vaccination for hens, eating eggs with a runny yolk is deemed safe for consumption.
Broken into water at the poaching temperature, the white will cling to the yolk, resulting in cooked
egg white
Egg white is the clear liquid (also called the albumen or the glair/glaire) contained within an egg. In chickens it is formed from the layers of secretions of the anterior section of the hen's oviduct during the passage of the egg. It forms arou ...
and runny yolk.
Any given chicken egg contains some egg white that is prone to dispersing into the poaching liquid and cooking into an undesirable foam. To prevent this, the egg can be strained beforehand to remove the thinner component of the egg white. A small amount of vinegar may also be added to the water, as its acidic qualities accelerate the poaching process. Stirring the water vigorously to create a
vortex
In fluid dynamics, a vortex ( : vortices or vortexes) is a region in a fluid in which the flow revolves around an axis line, which may be straight or curved. Vortices form in stirred fluids, and may be observed in smoke rings, whirlpools in th ...
may also reduce dispersion.
The age of the eggs affects the cooking process. The whites of freshly-laid eggs are less likely to disperse. With less fresh eggs, the whites are more likely to disperse, so acidulating the water will assist in preventing excessive egg white dispersement.
Steamed
The term "poaching" is often used for this cooking method but it is actually incorrect, as this method is closer to "coddling".
The egg is placed in a cup and suspended over
simmering
Simmering is a food preparation technique by which foods are cooked in hot liquids kept just below the boiling point of water (lower than ) and above poaching temperature (higher than ). To create a steady simmer, a liquid is brought to a boil, ...
water, using a special pan called an "egg-poacher". This is usually a wide-bottomed pan with an inner lid, with holes containing several circular cups that each hold one egg, and an additional lid over the top. To cook the eggs, the pan is filled with water and brought to a simmer, or a gentle boil. The outer lid holds in the steam, ensuring that the heat surrounds the egg completely. The cups are often buttered so that the cooked eggs may be removed easily.
The resulting steamed eggs are similar to
coddled egg
In cooking, coddled eggs are eggs that have been cracked into a ramekin or other small container, placed in a water bath or bain-marie and gently or lightly cooked just below boiling temperature. They can be partially cooked, mostly cooked, or ...
s, although steamed eggs are often cooked longer, and hence tend to be firmer in texture. Eggs prepared this way are often served on buttered toast.
Steamed eggs are often made in a home environment in place of poached eggs, as it is easier to obtain consistent results with this alternative method. However, poached eggs remain the preference of professional kitchens as it is easier to cook larger quantities, and no additional equipment or appliance is needed to do so.
Dishes with poached eggs
![Poached egg on toast](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Poached_egg_on_toast.jpg)
Poached eggs are used in the traditional
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
breakfast dish
Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict is a common American breakfast or brunch dish, consisting of two halves of an English muffin, each topped with Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and hollandaise sauce. It was popularized in New York City.
Origin and history
There a ...
, and similar dishes such as Eggs Florentine and Eggs Mornay.
![Eggs Benedict](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Eggs_Benedict.jpg)
Poached eggs are the basis for many dishes in
Louisiana Creole cuisine
Louisiana Creole cuisine (french: cuisine créole, lou, manjé kréyòl, es, cocina criolla) is a style of cooking originating in Louisiana, United States, which blends West African, French, Spanish, and Amerindian influences,
as well as in ...
, such as
Eggs Sardou
Eggs Sardou is a Louisiana Louisiana_Creole_cuisine#Breakfast, Creole cuisine dish made with poached eggs, artichoke bottoms, creamed spinach and Hollandaise sauce. It is on the menu of many Creole restaurants in New Orleans, including Antoine's ...
, Eggs Portuguese, Eggs Hussarde and Eggs St. Charles. Creole poached egg dishes are typically served for
brunch
Brunch is a meal eaten between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., sometimes accompanied by alcoholic drinks (typically champagne or a cocktail). The meal originated in the British hunt breakfast. The word ''brunch'' is a portmanteau of ''breakfast'' a ...
es.
[John D. Folse, ''The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine'', Chef John Folse & Company Publishing, December 2004, ]![Suran](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Suran.jpg)
Several cuisines include eggs poached in soup or broth and served in the soup. In parts of central
Colombia
Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...
, for instance, a popular breakfast item is eggs poached in a scallion/coriander broth with milk, known as ''
changua
Changua (milk broth with eggs) is a typical hearty breakfast soup of the central Andes region of Colombia, in particular in the Boyacá and Cundinamarca area, including the capital, Bogotá. It also has a reputation as a hangover cure, being a ...
'' or simply ''caldo de huevo'' ("egg soup").
The
North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
n dish ''
shakshouka
Shakshouka ( ar, شكشوكة : šakšūkah, also spelled ''shakshuka'' or ''chakchouka'') is a Maghrebi dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onion and garlic, commonly spiced with cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper ...
'' consists of eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce.
In Italy, poached eggs are typically seasoned with grated
parmigiano reggiano
Parmesan ( it, Parmigiano Reggiano; ) is an Italian hard, granular cheese produced from cows’ milk and aged at least 12 months.
It is named after two of the areas which produce it, the provinces of Parma and Reggio Emilia (''Parmigiano'' i ...
and butter or olive oil.
In Portugal, poached eggs are known as ''ovos escalfados'' and are typically done with boiled
peas
The pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the flowering plant species ''Pisum sativum''. Each pod contains several peas, which can be green or yellow. Botanically, pea pods are fruit, since they contain seeds and d ...
and
chouriço
Chorizo (, from Spanish ; similar to but distinct from Portuguese ) is a type of pork cured meat originating from the Iberian Peninsula.
In Europe, chorizo is a fermented, cured, smoked meat, which may be sliced and eaten without cooking, or ...
.
In
Korean cuisine
Korean cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political change. Originating from ancient agricultural and nomadic traditions in Korea and southern Manchuria, Korean cuisine reflects a complex interaction of the natural envi ...
, poached eggs are known as ''suran'' () and are topped with a variety of
garnishes such as
chili thread
''Sil-gochu'' (), often translated as chili threads, chilli threads, or chili pepper threads, is a traditional Korean food garnish made with chili peppers.
Gallery
Gyeran-jang-jorim.jpg, ''Gyeran-jang-jorim'' (soy-sauce-simmered eggs) topped ...
s,
rock tripe
Rock tripe is the common name for various lichens of the genus ''Umbilicaria'' that grow on rocks. They are widely distributed, including on bare rock in Antarctica, and throughout northern parts of North America such as New England and the Ro ...
threads, and
scallion
Scallions (also known as spring onions or green onions) are vegetables derived from various species in the genus ''Allium''. Scallions generally have a milder taste than most onions and their close relatives include garlic, shallot, leek, ch ...
threads.
The
Turkish dish ''
çılbır'' consists of poached eggs, yogurt sauce with garlic and butter with red peppers.
In
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...
, poached eggs are served on a bed of yogurt and often
sirene
Sirene ( sq, djathë i bardhë; bg, сирене ; mk, сирење; sr, сир, italics=no/) also known as "white brine sirene" ( bg, бяло саламурено сирене, links=no) is a type of brined cheese made in the Balkans (So ...
, topped with butter and paprika. The dish is called
Panagyurishte-style eggs (sometimes "eggs Panagyurian" depending on the translation), and is similar to the Turkish ''çılbır''.
In India, fried eggs are most commonly called "poached". They are sometimes also known as bullseyes, a reference to
"bullseye" targets, or "half-boil" in Southern India, indicating that they are partly cooked. These eggs are "poached" in name only and so do not share the same preparation method as poached eggs in other countries.
In Indonesia, poached eggs are a common addition to instant noodle dishes. Eggs are boiled together with the instant noodles, and after cooking, they are mixed with the seasoning from the instant noodle package.
See also
*
List of breakfast foods This is a list of notable breakfast foods from A to Z. Breakfast is the meal taken after rising from a night's sleep, most often eaten in the early morning before undertaking a day's work. Among English speakers, breakfast can be used to refer to th ...
*
List of brunch foods
This is a list of brunch foods and dishes. Brunch is a combination of breakfast and lunch eaten usually during the late morning but it can extend to as late as 2 pm and 8 pm on the East Coast, although some restaurants may extend the hours to a l ...
*
Scrambled eggs
Scrambled eggs is a dish made from eggs (usually chicken eggs) stirred, whipped or beaten together while being gently heated, typically with salt, butter, oil and sometimes other ingredients.
Preparation
Only eggs are necessary to make scrambled ...
References
External links
Mr. Breakfast: How do I make a poached egg?
{{Eggs
Egg dishes
it:Uovo (alimento)#Utilizzo in cucina