There aren’t a lot of cooking methods that I don’t like when it comes to eggs. I like them fried, scrambled, hard-boiled, soft-boiled, and so on. But if I had to choose a very favorite type, I would probably have to say it’s poached eggs! They’re just such a treat, because I hardly ever make them at home. When I’ve tried making them at home in the past, it has gone okay, but it’s just a finicky process. And I normally don’t have the time or patience in the morning for anything finicky! So poached eggs are mostly a dining-out-for-breakfast treat.
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That is, until a few weeks ago, when some of my girlfriends and I took a girls’ trip to Nashville. We stayed in a gorgeous Airbnb rental and had a great time! But one morning, I noticed that a few of the ladies were microwaving something for breakfast. I asked what they were making, and to my great surprise, they told me they were making poached eggs! I was intrigued to say the least, so I had them show me how it’s done. It sounds too good to be true, but it totally works!
How To Make Poached Eggs In Your Microwave
You’ll need:
- Microwave-safe mug or bowl
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1 egg
- Small microwave-safe plate
Directions:
Gently crack an egg into a microwave-safe mug or bowl.
Pour the water and white vinegar over the egg, then place a small plate over the mug.
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Microwave for 1 minute. (The cook time will vary from microwave to microwave. The microwave at our studio is an 1000-watt model, and I used full power. If your microwave has a lower wattage, you may need to increase the cook time. If your microwave has a higher wattage, you may want to use a lower power setting!)
After cooking, carefully remove the mug and plate from your microwave. Use a slotted spoon to check on the egg. If the white is set, it’s done! If it’s not quite set, put the mug and plate back into the microwave and cook for another 20 seconds. Repeat until the egg white has set.
Be sure to let the egg cool off a bit before piercing the yolk with a fork. Although, rare, it is possible for the the pressure in the yolk to release and spray hot egg into your face.
Serve your poached egg however you like! One of my favorite ways to eat them is on top of toast, with some arugula and cherry tomatoes if I’m feeling fancy. ;-)
I think it’s safe to say that now I know this quick and easy cooking method, I’ll be making poached eggs at home a lot more frequently! And a HUGE thanks to my girls for teaching me this trick!
What’s your favorite way to eat poached eggs?
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Can you taste the vinegar after the egg us cooked?
You need to poke the yoke several times with a toothpick before you microwave,
to prevent the egg from exploding.
Watched you tube and it was done on HALF POWER!
I tested it on different power settings, but had the best results with full power! Feel free to experiment with your own microwave, though :-)
I just boil, in the shell, a room temperature egg for 5 min. (med – lg) I also just tried poaching them in my 3 qt instapot. It worked great. This way I don’t have to remember to take them out an hour before I cook them. When the timer starts to count down, hit cancel and vent. I’ve done this twice and both times the same. The second time I timed the coming up to pressure so I can now set a timer so I don’t have to watch the pot the whole time I am waiting for it… Read more »
Oh poached are my absolute favorite. I too did not like the length of time and all that has to be done. Excellent tip and thank you. Now my coffee cups will get used finally.
Gently crack the egg means to take it out of it’s shell. You do it gently so as not to break the yoke. You do not put the shell in the microwave.
If you are poaching an egg in the microwave for one minute then you have to watch it. You can’t walk away from it. The only way an egg can blow up in the microwave is if it is too full of steam. That will happen only after if it’s been in there for a few minutes. I’ve been doing this for some years now and that is the only way my poached eggs turn out good. The vinegar is to keep the egg from sticking to the bottom of the cup. Sometimes that works, sometimes that doesn’t. It depends… Read more »
Mine was only in for 30 seconds when it blew up! What a mess!!
I need help. I tried this method, but on the site I saw it just said crack the egg and cover with water, which I did.
I then covered my mug with a plate and put micro. on 1 minute as instructed. I believe it is an 1100 watt.
My egg blew up all over the micro. I am afraid to try again. Any suggestions, and why the vinegar? Thank You!
Doris
mine blew up too!
So sorry for the mess, everyone! I tested many eggs on different power levels for different amounts of time and never had an egg explode. How strange! Did any of you happen to leave the egg in it’s shell?
Vinegar makes the egg keep it shape – it prevents the egg from getting strewn about the water or sticking to the mug. Next time, check the egg after 30 or 40 seconds. From there, just microwave in 10 second increments until the egg is cooked :-) Good luck and sorry for the mess!
Can’t wait to try it! Thanks Jillee
Does “gently crack” mean it cooks in the shell? And why vinegar? I loved poached eggs and this sounds much easier and quicker! Thank you!
I took the “gently crack” to mean remove the shell carefully so that you don’t break the yolk.
“Gently crack” means to crack open the shell and dump just the egg into the mug – as photographed. :-) The vinegar helps the egg stay together!