How to Get an Impressive Poached Egg With This Microwave Hack
Poached eggs are going above and beyond eggs Benedict these days. With their silky yolks acting as the perfect sauce, they can really amp up your Buddha bowls, salads, and even some soups. Poaching an egg sounds easy in theory: You bring water to a simmer, add a splash of vinegar, create a whirlpool, and carefully drop your egg into the center. Unfortunately in practice, we’re often left with wispy egg whites and slightly overcooked centers. Thankfully, this microwave hack is everything it’s cracked up to be.
trial and error
Some reviews claim that this hack is genius, while others have reported walking away with egg on their face — literally. If you aren’t careful, you may experience an eggsplosion. This is why it’s important to take things slow until you’ve got a perfect cook time nailed down. All microwaves are different, and a 950 watt microwave will obviously cook an egg much more quickly than a 700 watt microwave.
I ended up with great results by poaching the egg for 55 seconds on high power in a 950 watt microwave; if you have greater wattage than 950, cook it for 45 seconds, and then check on it. If it needs more time, cook it in 5-10 second increments until you’ve got the consistency you desire. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be an egg-poachin’ pro in no time.
What you need
Ingredients:
- an egg
- a small microwave-safe bowl (we suggest one that will hold about 1 cup of water and is deep enough so that when you add the egg, it is completely submerged in the water).
- a microwave-safe saucer or lid, to cover the bowl
- 1/2 cup of cold water
- a fork
Poaching your egg
Instructions:
- Add 1/2 cup of cold water to your microwave-safe bowl.
- Carefully crack your egg into the water and ensure it’s completely submerged.
- Place the bowl into the microwave and loosely cover it with a microwave-safe saucer or lid to prevent splatters or explosions.
- Cook the egg on high power for 45-55 seconds, depending on your microwave wattage. If you’re unsure, it’s best to play it safe and cook it for less time, continuing to cook it in 5-10 second bursts as needed.
- Once the time is up, let the egg sit in the microwave for about 10 seconds so it can settle. Then, carefully lift the lid and check on your egg to make sure the white is set, but the yolk is still runny.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the egg from the water and set it aside or onto your dish if it’s ready to go.
Do you have any useful egg-poaching tips? Tweet us @BritandCo!
(Photos via Dana Sandonato / Brit + Co)
