Poached Eggs

The Book of Household Management · Beeton, Mrs. (Isabella Mary) · 1861
Source
The Book of Household Management
Time
Cook: 3 min Total: 3 min
Yield
2.0 eggs per person
Status
success · extracted 13 days ago
Not a recipe
No
Ingredients (3)
Instructions (14)
  1. Eggs for poaching should be perfectly fresh, but not quite new-laid; those that are about 36 hours old are the best for the purpose. If quite new-laid, the white is so milky it is almost impossible to set it; and, on the other hand, if the egg be at all stale, it is equally difficult to poach it nicely.
  2. Strain some boiling water into a deep clean frying-pan.
  3. Break the egg into a cup without damaging the yolk.
  4. When the water boils, remove the pan to the side of the fire, and gently slip the egg into it.
  5. Place the pan over a gentle fire, and keep the water simmering until the white looks nicely set, when the egg is ready.
  6. Take it up gently with a slice, cut away the ragged edges of the white, and serve either on toasted bread or on slices of ham or bacon, or on spinach, &c.
  7. A poached egg should not be overdone, as its appearance and taste will be quite spoiled if the yolk be allowed to harden.
  8. When the egg is slipped into the water, the white should be gathered together, to keep it a little in form, or the cup should be turned over it for 1 minute.
  9. To poach an egg to perfection is rather a difficult operation; so, for inexperienced cooks, a tin egg-poacher may be purchased, which greatly facilitates this manner of dressing ecgs.
  10. Our illustration clearly shows what it is: it consists of a tin plate with a handle, with a space for three perforated cups.
  11. An egg should be broken into each cup, and the machine then placed in a stewpan of boiling water, which has been previously strained.
  12. When the whites of the eggs appear set, they are done, and should then be carefully slipped on to the toast or spinach, or with whatever they are served.
  13. In poaching eggs in a frying-pan, never do more than four at a time.
  14. When a little vinegar is liked mixed with the water in which the eggs are done, use the above proportion.
Original Text
POACHED EGGS. [Illustration: EGGS POACHED ON TOAST.] [Illustration: TIN EGG-POACHER.] 1663. INGREDIENTS.—Eggs, water. To every pint of water allow 1 tablespoonful of vinegar. Mode.—Eggs for poaching should be perfectly fresh, but not quite new-laid; those that are about 36 hours old are the best for the purpose. If quite new-laid, the white is so milky it is almost impossible to set it; and, on the other hand, if the egg be at all stale, it is equally difficult to poach it nicely. Strain some boiling water into a deep clean frying-pan; break the egg into a cup without damaging the yolk, and, when the water boils, remove the pan to the side of the fire, and gently slip the egg into it. Place the pan over a gentle fire, and keep the water simmering until the white looks nicely set, when the egg is ready. Take it up gently with a slice, cut away the ragged edges of the white, and serve either on toasted bread or on slices of ham or bacon, or on spinach, &c. A poached egg should not be overdone, as its appearance and taste will be quite spoiled if the yolk be allowed to harden. When the egg is slipped into the water, the white should be gathered together, to keep it a little in form, or the cup should be turned over it for 1 minute. To poach an egg to perfection is rather a difficult operation; so, for inexperienced cooks, a tin egg-poacher may be purchased, which greatly facilitates this manner of dressing ecgs. Our illustration clearly shows what it is: it consists of a tin plate with a handle, with a space for three perforated cups. An egg should be broken into each cup, and the machine then placed in a stewpan of boiling water, which has been previously strained. When the whites of the eggs appear set, they are done, and should then be carefully slipped on to the toast or spinach, or with whatever they are served. In poaching eggs in a frying-pan, never do more than four at a time; and, when a little vinegar is liked mixed with the water in which the eggs are done, use the above proportion. Time.—2-1/2 to 3-1/2 minutes, according to the size of the egg. Sufficient.—Allow 2 eggs to each person. Seasonable at any time, but less plentiful in winter.
Notes
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