The best way to poach an egg
Slide one egg into gently simmering water and cook until the white and yolk are firm. For a deliberately soft yolk, use pasteurized eggs and the timing note in the steps.
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Fresh eggs hold together best. Keep the water below a rolling boil; hard bubbles tear the white before it sets.
Which method should you use?
Ingredients and equipment
1 poached egg
Ingredients
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Small cup
- Slotted spoon
- Timer
A fluid yolk is undercooked. The default instructions finish with a firm yolk; the soft-yolk timing is an explicitly labeled option for pasteurized eggs.
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Safety boundaries
- Cook eggs until set; the default methods here do not finish with runny egg.
- For intentionally undercooked eggs, use pasteurized shell eggs. People at higher risk should choose a fully cooked result.
- Wash hands and utensils after raw egg contact and refrigerate leftovers promptly.
Barely simmered poached egg
Heat water
Bring 2–3 inches water to 180–190°F, with small bubbles but no rolling boil.
Look for Surface trembles gently.
Prepare egg
Crack 1 cold egg into a small cup; remove any shell.
Look for Yolk stays intact.
Lower and cook
Hold the cup close to the water and gently slide the egg into it. Keep a gentle simmer and begin checking after 4 minutes. Continue until the white and yolk are firm for the default finish. A deliberately soft yolk takes roughly 3½–4 minutes and requires pasteurized eggs.
Look for White is opaque; the default yolk feels firm.
4:00 suggested timingLift and drain
Lift with a slotted spoon and blot the underside for 5 seconds.
Look for Drained egg with the chosen doneness checked.
Fix common problems
Dropping the egg into rapidly boiling water, which scatters the white and toughens the outside.
White spreading immediately? Use a fresher egg or strain away the loose white for 20 seconds before poaching.
Yolk firmer than you prefer? A soft-yolk variation requires pasteurized eggs; higher-risk diners should keep the fully firm finish. Adjust the next attempt within the chosen method’s safety boundary.
Common questions about this method
Can I serve a runny yolk?
A fluid yolk is undercooked. Use pasteurized shell eggs for an intentionally soft result; people at higher risk should choose a fully cooked egg. The default finish here has both white and yolk firm.
Other methods, in full
Open any method to read its preparation and steps side by side with your current choice.
Neatest shapeAbout 10 min
Strain one egg for 20 seconds to remove loose white, then transfer it to a cup. Slide it into 2–3 inches of gently simmering water and begin checking after 4 minutes. Continue until white and yolk are firm; a deliberately soft yolk requires pasteurized eggs. Lift, drain, and serve.
Preparation
1 poached egg
Ingredients
- 1 large egg; pasteurized if serving a soft yolk
- Water to fill the pan 2–3 inches deep
- Salt and pepper for serving, optional
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Small cup
- Slotted spoon
- Timer
- Fine-mesh strainer
A fluid yolk is undercooked. The default instructions finish with a firm yolk; the soft-yolk timing is an explicitly labeled option for pasteurized eggs.
Strain
Place 1 egg in a fine-mesh strainer for 20 seconds, then transfer to a cup.
Look for Loose white drains away.
20s suggested timingHeat water
Hold 2–3 inches water at 180–190°F.
Look for Only small bubbles form.
Poach
Hold the cup close to the water and gently slide the egg into it. Keep a gentle simmer and begin checking after 4 minutes. Continue until the white and yolk are firm for the default finish. A deliberately soft yolk takes roughly 3½–4 minutes and requires pasteurized eggs.
Look for White is opaque; the default yolk feels firm.
4:00 suggested timingDrain
Lift, blot, season, and serve immediately.
Look for Drained egg with the chosen doneness checked.
Adapt to your setup
Sources behind the method
Evidence status: Based on the linked sources. Best Way has not physically tested this method.
Sources open in a new tab. Verify important safety guidance with the linked authority and your product manufacturer.
Based on published sources
Based on the linked sources. Best Way has not physically tested this method.
Updated 2026-09-05. Clarified sliding the egg into the water, the first doneness check, and precautions for soft yolks. Read our testing standards →
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