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Poaching Eggs in the Microwave


steverino

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The other day, I was prepping eggs to boil. While piercing the ends with a pin, I managed to mishandle one of them, dinging the poor thing, making it unsuitable for boiling. So, in a moment of inspiration, I cracked the egg into a "rocks" glass, covered it with about an inch of water, and put it into the microwave. I fired it up for 1 minute, and kept a vigilant eye on it, as I have had less than stellar results with solid egg yolks in microwaves in the past.

When I pulled it out, I had a near perfectly poached egg. The white collected itself into a nice mass around the yolk, and when I took a fork to it, the yolk issued forth as a delicious golden river. The white was well cooked, as well. It was surprisingly tender, and not rubbery as you might expect.

I have not tried to duplicate this success, but I figured I'd throw it out there into the wonderful virtual world that is egullet. A one - minute poached egg... hoodathunkit!

Steve

(Hopefully someone hasn't mentioned this before, but I couldn't construct a good search function).

"Tell your friends all around the world, ain't no companion like a blue - eyed merle" Robert Plant

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This is the way I always poach eggs, actually. Not traditional but it works.

The timing requires tweaking depending on the microwave, the amount of water used, the container used, and the egg size, but once you find the standard, it is easy as pie. Actually, easier. :wink:

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That's a handy technique for doing it without any special tools. I've had an infrequently-used device from Nordic Ware ("covered 4 cup egg poacher") that does the same thing. As long as you don't cook them too long, it works very well - and quickly.

David aka "DCP"

Amateur protein denaturer, Maillard reaction experimenter, & gourmand-at-large

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I'm not sure *really* that there's anything absolutely "brand-new" in cooking, how about you, Steverino? :wink:

But I'm glad you mentioned it, so now maybe some other people can have fun with it too. :smile:

P.S. You're ahead of me in at least one way in how you discovered this method. You were merely attempting to be frugal and respectful of food, not wanting to waste an egg. How I discovered it was that one day I was simply too lazy to want to wash a pot, no forget it I was even too lazy to want to *lift* a pot full of water onto the stove so decided to try nuking in a small bit of water. Thank my lazy Libran stars. :raz:

Edited by Carrot Top (log)
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Carrot Top:

There's nothing new under the sun, eh? Laziness sometimes equals invention. Not always necessity. Well, wait. Laziness plus necessity could equal....

GENIUS!!!!

Steve

"Tell your friends all around the world, ain't no companion like a blue - eyed merle" Robert Plant

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Hi

Along the same lines I often make scrambled eggs in the micro, I get loads of butter really hot then add the egg mixture and cook in 20 second intervals, mixing between each interval until the eggs are cooked but slightly runny take them out mix them agin let them rest for a few minutes(long enough to butter my toast) and voila perfect scrambled eggs

Greg :raz:

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Carrot Top:

There's nothing new under the sun, eh? Laziness sometimes equals invention.  Not always necessity.  Well, wait.  Laziness plus necessity could equal....

GENIUS!!!!

Steve

You're a charmer, you know that? :raz::wink:

Hi

Along the same lines I often make scrambled eggs in the micro, I get loads of butter really hot then add the egg mixture and cook in 20 second intervals, mixing between each interval until the eggs are cooked but slightly runny take them out mix them agin let them rest for a few minutes(long enough to butter my toast) and voila perfect scrambled eggs

Greg :raz:

What's your timing on that, Greg? And I'm curious as to why or how you prefer the microwave in this situation? And what are you using to do this in - a shallow bowl or something else?

I can see how that might save washing a pan, maybe. :laugh: I like that.

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Hi

Along the same lines I often make scrambled eggs in the micro, I get loads of butter really hot then add the egg mixture and cook in 20 second intervals, mixing between each interval until the eggs are cooked but slightly runny take them out mix them agin let them rest for a few minutes(long enough to butter my toast) and voila perfect scrambled eggs

Greg :raz:

What's your timing on that, Greg? And I'm curious as to why or how you prefer the microwave in this situation? And what are you using to do this in - a shallow bowl or something else?

I can see how that might save washing a pan, maybe. :laugh: I like that.

It's not that I prefer it, but at the shop we don't work with stoves(only deep fryers) so I have no other way of making them :biggrin: The result is pretty good it takes about a minute and a half and I usually use a soup bowl, I tried "fried" eggs using the same method but can never get the yolk to stay soft which is why I'm thrilled with the poached method which I aim to try :biggrin:

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Huh....don't ask me what I did wrong!

Intrigued by all of your successes - I just got up from my computer (literally as I was reading this) and tried this.

I decided on a mug...maybe this is where i went wrong?? thoughts?????

I placed a lil water in the mug, cracked the egg, in she went....placed in the trusted Microwave for 1 min and i kept my eye on it. Stopped it after about 35 secs to check on it...it needed a lil more cause one side of the white was not cooked...still opaque...

Back in, and out at about the one minute beep. I drained it...It looked WAY over-done...so what did I do???

I poked it, and it bursted with a LOUD "POP", all over my face - pieces in my hair, on my neck and shirt, etc - you get the picture. Quite funny now. Woulda been MUCH funnier if someone was here to have seen it. Greg - the fiance - woulda LOVED it :)

What in the heck did I do wrong? I obviously tossed it. I only like my yokls runny....extremely runny....grrr....

You all have no issues with this? I must be a total JOKE! HAHA

I have no problems poaching in a lil pot of water on the stove - it's just not as easy as this microwave process that you all described....help!

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hmmm - as it appears if you are eating good food with the ones you love you will be living life to its fullest, surely laughing and smiling throughout!!!

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cause one side of the white was not cooked...still opaque...

Back in, and out at about the one minute beep. I drained it...It looked WAY over-done...so what did I do???

Well if the egg white was opaque then it would have been done.

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It might take some fine-tuning, LindsayAnn. :wink:

Microwaves have different wattages that affect the timing of things.

I've used a mug before, a smaller one rather than a larger one, with about a half-cup water and a large egg and it takes my microwave fifty-five seconds. (Even this can be affected by whether the egg is very fresh or not! :shock: )

Once you get it down pat with the exact vessel, timing and water level it will work.

In the meantime, I hear that egg yolk is good for the hair and egg white good for the complexion, so all is not lost. :laugh:

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LindsayAnn-

When I did mine, I cracked the egg into the glass, then covered it with about an inch (about a knuckle on your first finger) of water.

What may have happened for you is that the egg floated on the surface of the water, as opposed to being immersed in it. It got too tanned by the rays.

And as Carrot top said, a bit of tweaking will probably be necessary. I just got really lucky the first time. I have given my microwaves many interior "facials", much like yours, while eggsperimenting with whole yolks.

Sorry it wound up on your face.

Steve

"Tell your friends all around the world, ain't no companion like a blue - eyed merle" Robert Plant

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Hi

Along the same lines I often make scrambled eggs in the micro, I get loads of butter really hot then add the egg mixture and cook in 20 second intervals, mixing between each interval until the eggs are cooked but slightly runny take them out mix them agin let them rest for a few minutes(long enough to butter my toast) and voila perfect scrambled eggs

Greg :raz:

Thanks! I want to try this--I did try this once, but Rubber eggs are not yummy at all. And I don't eat poached eggs, so I can't try what was suggested in the original post. Egg yolks scare me.

May

Totally More-ish: The New and Improved Foodblog

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When we poach eggs in the microwave, we just custard cups or soup bowls. I think you need more width than any of my mugs would provide. Oh, and you might want to fiddle around with the power level. Our old nuker needed full power; the current one only needs 80% power.

Since I am apparently impaired when it comes to poaching eggs in a pan of water, this is the go-to method here.

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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RE: the scrambled eggs in the microwave...making scrambled eggs in a large mug is perfect for english muffin sandwiches, just the right size.

The great thing about barbeque is that when you get hungry 3 hours later....you can lick your fingers

Maxine

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My learning disabled step son has been making huge messes in his grandmother's pots for months now, attempting poached eggs. We looked in the vast clutter of their kitchen when I was visiting a few weeks ago, and I found one of those old 1970's microwave egg poachers, MIB! :laugh: I showed him STEP BY EXCRUCIATINGLY DETAILED STEP how to achieve a poached egg in the microwave- et voila! He has been happily making poached eggs for a week now, no more messy kitchen, either! My #1Boy's mother told me that she couldn't have stood the messy pots and the smell of his stove top tries much longer. I could go home with a clear conscious, my work there was 'done'. :cool:

Two points to make- if the poacher doesn't have a cover, slip some plastic wrap over the egg; if you grease the cup, including the edges, the egg will slip right out 100% of the time, perfectly.

I tried one of these eggs, it tasted just as good as a stove top poached egg. I honestly couldn't tell you the difference, other than the shape.

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After reading this I had to give microwave poached eggs a try. So I made some eggs benedict this morning. Did a lot of peaking and door opening at first, but I think I have the hang of it now.

Ended up with nicely poached eggs with a runny center. Thanks.

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This is a great idea, I can't wait to try it. I use the microwave often to reheat chicken and "soften" tortillas. I wrap them both in wet paper towels which seems to keep them from getting rubbery.

Thanks for the tip!

Msk

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After reading this thread I poached two eggs in a custard cup that I had first fulled half way with water. Two and one half minutes later perfect poached eggs. The microwave is redeemed. Now it will serve for more than making oatmeal and heating my expresso cups. Oh, its also good for melting chocolate and butter.

Another wonder at e-Gullet.

Jmahl

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