How to Use a Metal Egg Poacher

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Things You'll Need

  • Cooking spray

  • Eggs

  • Metal egg poacher

  • Fork

  • Spoon

Poached eggs are a healthy alternative to fried or scrambled eggs, since hardly any butter or oil is used in their preparation. Poached eggs can be part of a more complex meal, such as eggs benedict or eggs florentine, or can simply provide a quick and easy breakfast. Metal egg poachers are easy to use and to clean, and are capable of poaching one egg or multiple eggs.

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Step 1

Fill the pot of the metal egg poacher with water. Keep the pot covered and bring the water to a boil on your stove.

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Step 2

Spray each egg cup with the cooking spray. A short burst of cooking spray (about half a second) will be enough to keep your poached eggs from sticking to the cups. If you have a non-stick metal egg poacher, you will not need to use any cooking spray, but it is necessary for stainless steel egg cups. (see Reference 1) A light rub of butter or oil can also be used, but note that this will add more calories than cooking spray.

Step 3

Remove the lid of the metal egg poacher. Crack your eggs carefully and empty them into the poaching cups, one egg per cup. The best part of a poached egg is a soft, runny yolk, so do be careful that you don't pierce the yolks as you are cracking.

Step 4

Replace the lid on your metal egg poacher. Wait about 3 minutes for the eggs to poach. Many metal egg poachers have glass lids so you can observe the egg as it cooks. When the whites are no longer runny, your eggs have cooked. If you want firmer yolks simply wait closer to five minutes.

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Step 5

Remove the metal egg poacher from the stove burner. Take a fork and slip the tines in the groove of the egg cup. Remove the cup from the metal egg poacher and use a spoon to gently move the egg onto a plate. The egg should slide out easily since you have greased the cup with cooking spray. Enjoy your poached eggs.

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Step 6

Wash the egg cups after your meal with dish detergent. The tray and pot of your metal egg poacher can be cleaned with a quick rinse in water if you haven't spilled any egg on them. If there is egg on anything besides the cups, it will require a wash to prevent bacteria.

Tip

Experiment with the cooking time to find your preferred consistency. The difference between a firm egg and a runnier egg is only a matter two minutes, so you may want to use a timer.

Warning

Use caution when removing the lid of the metal egg poacher and avoid the escaping steam.

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references