Sunday, January 29, 2012

Fusion Brands Egg Poaching Pods

I've never been one to poach eggs straight in water. I can't get past the vinegar needed in the water. When I saw these pods for poaching, I thought I'd give them a try.   I happen to be on a gluten-free diet at the moment, so I'm now eating these sans bread (and with much less pepper).


Put some water on to boil - about 2 inches.  You will need a lid, or it won't work right (unless you like really runny or really rubbery, overcooked eggs).

1) Spray the inside of the egg pods
2) Crack an egg into each pod (they sit quite well on the counter)
3) Add any spices, if you desire to do this before they are done.
4) Once the water is boiling good, dial it back to a soft boil.
5) Gently place each pod into the water and cover with the lid (careful and slow, lest they tip and submerge)
6) For large eggs, what you see in the picture is about 6 minutes, 30 seconds
7) Use a slotted spoon to pull them out.  Careful not to let them slide out, I tip them to drain the little water that accumulates from steaming.  I actually pinch two ends somewhat closed so it cannot slide out.

If you like the yoke more, or less, hard, experiment with the time by 30 seconds. Just keep in mind, if you get a different size egg, you will want to compensate.

I'm surprised how many videos on YouTube show the eggs cooking, without a lid. This is wrong.  You have to understand the science behind it.  The eggs cook from the bottom and sides while in the water, but the top is steamed when the cover is on.  This allowed for even cooking from all sides.  Without the lid, you could wait 15 minutes or more to get the desired results, and the whites will be like rubber.

Here is one of the few, short videos I was able to find that got it right.