Deaf Chef Ross

FOOD AND COOKING WITH CHEF ROSS

Simple Poached Eggs

Preparation: About 10 minutes · Cooking: About 3½–5 minutes* · Serves: 1 person

Print A4 Recipe
Poached egg, slightly cut open, on avocado toast

What you need

Ingredients

Ingredients for Simple Poached Eggs
  • 2 cold free-range eggs
  • 1 litre water

Equipment

Equipment for Simple Poached Eggs
  • Medium saucepan with lid
  • Fine-mesh strainer
  • 2 small bowls
  • Slotted spoon
  • Timer

Let’s make it

Heat the water — Simple Poached Eggs

STEP 1

Heat the water

Pour the water into a saucepan.

Heat until the water is gently simmering, not boiling hard.

Egg being strained through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl

STEP 2

Strain the eggs

Crack one egg into a fine-mesh strainer over a small bowl. Let the thin, watery white drain away naturally.

Gently transfer the egg into a separate small bowl. Repeat with the second egg.

Add the eggs — Simple Poached Eggs

STEP 3

Add the eggs

Gently slide the eggs into the hot water, one at a time. Keep them apart.

Turn off the heat — Simple Poached Eggs

STEP 4

Turn off the heat

Wait until the whites begin to set. Turn off the heat.

Keep the eggs separate — Simple Poached Eggs

STEP 5

Keep the eggs separate

Gently move the water around the eggs to help keep them separate.

Do not break the yolks.

Covered saucepan for poaching eggs with timer

STEP 6

Finish and drain

Put the lid on. Let the eggs cook in the hot water.

WITH THE LID ON

3½–4 minutes for soft yolks
4–5 minutes for firmer yolks*

Lift gently with a slotted spoon and drain.

Serving and storage

  • Serve freshly cooked.
  • Use eggs handled and stored according to their packaging and Australian food-safety guidance.
  • For vulnerable people, cook eggs thoroughly until the yolks and whites are firm.
Back to recipes

Recipe ©2026 Deaf Chef Ross. Check labels for allergens. Follow appliance and storage instructions. Times and servings are estimates. Images are illustrative. Sources: NSW Food Authority; Victorian Government. Generated by ChatGPT for Deaf Chef Ross (C)2026.