Coddling and Poaching Eggs

Coddling. Coddled eggs are prepared by breaking an egg into a small cup, called a coddler, made of porcelain or heat-proof glass with a screw-on top, and submerging the whole coddler in simmering water until the egg is cooked. The cups, or coddlers, should be buttered or greased before adding the raw eggs. Cream or other flavorings such as ham or bacon are sometimes added before cooking. Once done, the egg is eaten directly out of the coddler.

Poaching. Eggs are poached by being cracked and simmered in enough water to cover the egg by at least twice its depth. Fresh USDA Grade AA eggs are best to use for poaching, because the whites are firmer and less likely to spread out in the water and create “streamers”, floating strands of partially cooked egg whites. Salt (1/2 teaspoon per cup) and/or vinegar (1 teaspoon per cup) may be added to the water to speed coagulation and help to maintain a compact, oval shape of the egg. On the other hand, salt of vinegar will give the cooked egg a shinier, tougher, and perhaps more shriveled surface than one cooked in plain water. Poached eggs are cooked for three to five minutes, removed with a slotted spoon, drained, trimmed of any streamers, and served immediately. The well-poached egg should have a firm yolk and compact white.