Although poached eggs should be one of the easiest things to cook, there are a lot of pitfalls that can sabotage your attempt at making a perfectly shaped egg. In this guide, I'm going to show you the three mistakes you might be making, and how you can get around them to make perfect poached eggs.
Break one egg at a time into a wire mesh sieve and let the less viscous part of the albumen drain for a few seconds.
Transfer the drained egg into a small bowl or ramekin and repeat with the remaining eggs.
Bring a large, heavy-bottomed pot (such as a dutch oven) with 2-inches of water to a boil.
Turn down the heat to low and wait until the water is almost still.
Submerge the edge of each bowl into the hot water, until it hits the bottom of the pot. Then, gently tip the egg out of the bowl. Repeat with all four bowls.
Let the eggs cook until they reach your desired doneness. Three minutes will yield an egg with a fully cooked white and molten yolk, but you can cook them longer if you want the yolk to be firmer. You can lift an egg out of the water and gently poke it with your finger to gauge how firm the yolk is.
When the eggs are done, remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and allow them to drain on paper towels. If the egg is stuck to the bottom of the pan, you can use a spatula to release it.