Mario Batali's Poached Egg Method I Made It

Mario Batali's Poached Egg Method

frankieanne 9 years ago
OK, I know this isn't a GR recipe but I made this and am reporting back. Contact the moderator of IMI if you don't think this belongs here. :-D
This was posted by Lovebreezy in another IMI thread here Breakfast Tostada
http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/perfect-poached-egg-mario-batali
I tried this today because I was making pancakes and was keeping them hot in the oven and an egg is a good thing on a pancake (to me). This did work but I think the type of cereal bowl that Mario used would be better. I didn't get the white swirling over the yolk like he did so I lost a lot of white. I think I prefer the microwave method because of that but this is good if you are using the oven anyway. But, yep, it works.
Thanks Lovebreezy! :)
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Good4U 9 years ago said:

It looks great, Frankie:) I think you should post it so everyone will know how to do it.

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pointsevenout 9 years ago said:

Glad it worked out for you. There is an awful lot of negative comments about the recipe not turning out.

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frankieanne 9 years ago said:

Wow, I never noticed those before. Pretty harsh! Can't imagine why it didn't work.

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mommyluvs2cook 9 years ago said:

I'm glad you made this with success! After reading those review, I would have been scared to make it. Wonder how the recipe has 5 stars though? Are the whites completely cooked and the yolk runny? I'm still interested in giving this a try :)

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bakerme 9 years ago said:

I'm trying to perfect poached eggs to save calories for my hubby instead of frying or scrambling them in butter. Butter adds great flavor, but too many calories. Poaching doesn't add any additional calories other than what's in the egg. I don't have a microwave, so that method's out. I have been making them in a large skillet of boiling water, but the whites spread and swirl around like spider webs! I tried a trick I read about that puts vinegar in the water to keep them from doing that, but it doesn't work (for me). How do they get those picture perfect poached eggs with lots of white around them? A couple of recipes I've read say to trim off the raggedy edges of white, but that just seems wasteful.

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Good4U 9 years ago said:

These might help you Bakerme?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/24/poached-eggs_n_4143285.html
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/easy_poached_eggs/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIvpbSEboYI

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chuckieb 9 years ago said:

I've been meaning to google poaching eggs ever since the topic came up recently. I've always just done it in my frying pan. Shallow salted water brought to a gentle boil and then I carefully break the egg into it and I do manage to get more white saved than it looks like you did in this instance. I'm intrigued as well to try the microwave method you mentioned.

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lovebreezy 9 years ago said:

Well, gee, I don't know why as it's not my recipe nor have I ever made it but I feel flattered with your review--thanks. I agree with Joce, you should post a recipe with various poached egg methods. I only tried poaching once and lost almost all the white so never tried again, perhaps it's time to try again.

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pointsevenout 9 years ago said:

Seems to me that I remember to put the boiling water into a bowl first, then start swirling the water around to create a vortex. Crack the egg into the vortex. The spinning water should keep the egg all in one spot instead of spidering out.

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frankieanne 9 years ago said:

That may work as well, pso. I should give that a try. I think one could heat the bowl in a microwave oven, too.

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pointsevenout 9 years ago said:

Of course the fresher the egg the more the white clumps up around the yolk.

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frankieanne 9 years ago said:

Sorry, ml2c. I wasn't ignoring you. Yes, the white was cooked (what was left of it) and the yolk was nice and runny.
Jacques Pepin swears by the vinegar in the water thing. But, he says you have to rinse the cooked eggs off to get rid of the vinegar taste. The vinegar never really worked for me either.

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bakerme 9 years ago said:

Thanks for the links, Good4U! I watched all of them and they all seem to be a little different in their approach to poaching eggs, with sometimes conflicting information (i.e. no salt needed according to the Huffington Post video, but salt added according to the youtube guy). I put each egg in a small prep bowl and gently slide it into the water, but mine always seem to look the #6 picture in the Huffington Post video, not pretty. I found it interesting that the Australian guy in the youtube video put both eggs in one bowl before adding them to the water. I make two for my hubby when I make them, so I may try that, along with swirling the water to create a vortex, next time I make them. Once you figure out how long to let them go to get your desired degree of doneness, they really aren't hard to make.

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Good4U 9 years ago said:

I have done the gentle boiling method, before and never seemed to have a problem loosing the egg white. However, like Janet I prefer to use a frying pan better. Also, I have never added salt or vinegar to the water or made a vortex out of the water? I do have an egg poacher, which I use occasionally which works well too. I want to try the Microwave method though just to see if it works for me. I will let you know how the results are then.

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pointsevenout 9 years ago said:

Chef Gordon Ramsey champions the vortex method.
The camps are divided among using or not the salt and or vinegar.
I know vinegar starts cooking fish, So something more delicate like an egg should start cooking too.
From the videos I've watched, the spidering comes from the part of the white of the egg that's not congealed tightly around the yolk. An egg in a slotted spoon or fine mesh filter should drain off that watery part of the yolk. Leaving one with the congealed white around the yolk. It should eliminate the spidering effect.
About using vinegar: I have not tested this but it is my contention that adding a small amount of vinegar to an egg in a small measuring cup with a rounded bottom; ramekin, pyrex cup, tea cup or the like, will start the cooking process for the egg which will try to set the outside of the egg to the shape of the small cup.
Sliding the egg into the water now (vortex or not) should produce almost no spidering legs.
Someone check it out if you are a mind to.

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bakerme 9 years ago said:

I would not recommend adding vinegar. It didn't work for me and, no matter how little I added, my hubby could still taste it. Maybe he just has a sensitive taster, but unless you like vinegary eggs, skip it. I am going to try putting the eggs in a fine mesh strainer next time to see if that helps.

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Good4U 9 years ago said:

I have tasted the method with the vinegar and I have to agree with your Hubby, Bakerme. I could taste the vinegar and it was off putting for me as well. I use a slotted spoon to drain off the water and it works just fine for me.

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bakerme 9 years ago said:

Thanks for the tip, Good4U. I tried to talk him into poached eggs for breakfast this morning so I could try it and the sieve idea, but he wasn't in the mood for them, so next time for sure.

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notyourmomma 9 years ago said:

Pros and Cons of Using Vinegar:
by Alice Medrich.

The usual problem with eggs is that the whites often end up too firm or tough by the time the yolks are ready. This is because egg whites are mostly protein, and protein starts to set (coagulate) as soon it meets heat. Yolks cook slower to begin with, and even more slowly when they are surrounded by their whites. Adding vinegar to poaching water makes the whites firm even faster to prevent them from dispersing in the water. But that extra firmness comes with a slightly grainy texture and an odd flavor. I want my poached eggs with lovely tender yolks and whites. So I say, hold the vinegar.

From Cook's America on how to poach an egg.
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Eggs/PoachEgg.htm

Fresh eggs are best, do not salt the water. It loosens the egg white. Water temperature is important.

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