Australian Eggs ambassador and celebrity chef, Manu Feildel shares his expert tips on cooking the perfect eggs at home.
Common mistakes when cooking poached eggs
Using old eggs – poaching fresh eggs is always best. Test an egg for freshness by gently placing into a bowl of water. If it lies on its side it is quite fresh; if it stands on end it is less fresh; and if it floats, it is stale or most likely bad.
Cracking the egg straight into the water – always crack your egg into a small bowl before tipping it gently into the water, as this will help it keep its shape in the water.
Having the water too cold or too hot – if the water is too hot and bubbly, it will cause even the freshest egg to tear apart. The trick is to have the water at a gentle simmer around 90C, to gently cook through with light bubbles that massage the white to surround the yolk.
Common mistakes when cooking boiled eggs
Dropping the eggs into the water – the delicate shell needs to be treated with soft hands. The best way to add your eggs is one at a time, using a pasta spoon or slotted spoon.
Cooking the eggs with an off-centre yolk – if your eggs aren’t super fresh and you want to have your yolks in the centre when cooked, gently swirl them in the pot of water for a minute or two.
Over-crowding the pot – it is best to add just enough eggs for one layer.
Adding the eggs to rapidly boiling water – if the water is too bubbly the eggs will bounce around causing the shell to crack and white to escape. Gently add your eggs to warm water, place over a medium heat to bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer until they are cooked.
Peeling your eggs too soon – to ensure your shell comes off cleanly, cool your eggs in cold water, this will cause the whites to slightly contract and pull away from the white skin between the egg white and the shell.