Gordon Ramsay has shared his method for making "the perfect poached egg" with just one extra ingredient slipped into the pan. The celebrity chef, known for shows like Hell's Kitchen and Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, as well as a chain of Michelin star restaurants, has revealed a deceptively simple technique that ensures perfect poached eggs every time.
Why Vinegar is the Secret Ingredient
Poached eggs are a favourite among many because, unlike fried eggs, they don't end up coated in greasy or unhealthy fat or oil. However, they can be trickier to prepare, as they involve dropping an egg straight into boiling water. Ramsay's method uses a dash of vinegar in the pan to help "strengthen the egg white" and ensure it "enrobes" the yolk.
The Bowl Trick for Less Mess
The star's trick is to use a bowl to hold the egg in the water, which is much less messy and much easier to do. This approach allows the egg to be lowered gently into the water, preventing the white from dispersing.
Step-by-Step Guide
Ramsay explained on the Masterclass YouTube channel: "The perfect poached egg. Water gently boiling, lightly season that water, and then the vinegar. The vinegar helps to strengthen the egg white and enrobes that white around the yolk."
"Gently stir the water just until we've got momentum in the pan. Take your egg, very carefully crack it into the bowl, and then the bowl allows you to lower it into the water gently."
"So, in and lower it in, let it go, and what happens now is the egg white starts to wrap around the egg yolk and encases this beautiful poached egg that makes it look almost like a ball of mozzarella."
"Keep the water gently rolling, a gentle soft boil, and then, just turn it down, turn that over presentation side up, very carefully bring it out onto tissue paper and then very carefully use the back of the spoon. Use the paper, and lift that up, very carefully."
"And that is how to poach an egg."
