Hack The Intimidating Process Of Poaching Eggs With Your Microwave

Poaching eggs can feel like an enormously tricky task — so difficult, in fact, that many of us stay away from it entirely. Typically, you'd make this style of eggs by swirling boiling water and vinegar to make a vortex, then inserting the eggs and leaving them in the pot until the outsides are cooked. Between the vortex-swirling, delicately removing the eggs with a slotted spoon, and standing around your pot, poaching can seem like a laborious process. But what if we told you it's possible to do so in the microwave?

It's true that you can mimic the results from your stove by replacing your pot with a mug. You won't necessarily get the exact same poached egg you're used to, but you will get a runny yolk, set whites, and a ball shape by using the microwave. You'll be inserting your egg in a mug full of hot water, which allows this effect to take place. And the best part? Your breakfast will be done in about a minute — no waiting for a pot of water to boil is required.

It's best to try one egg at a time with this method, so it's typically better suited to breakfast for one than brunch for a crowd. While you can try poaching with eggs that have been sitting in the fridge for a little while, fresh is best here, as they'll typically have thicker whites that will heat more evenly in the microwave.

To start, all you need to do is heat water in a thick mug in the microwave, though not enough to boil it. Then you'll want to crack your egg into the mug. At this point, it's a good idea to pierce it with a toothpick all the way through to the yolk, to avoid everything exploding in the microwave. This step isn't always necessary, as you may not heat your cup long enough for an explosion to occur — but better safe than sorry, especially if you're experimenting with new cooking methods. Try adding a splash of vinegar too, just like you would on the stove, so everything doesn't fall apart while it's cooking. Then cover your cup, either with a microwave-safe saucer or plastic wrap, and nuke it for 30 seconds. You'll want to check to see if the whites are fully cooked, and keep heating in 10-second intervals if not. But once they're set, you're done — just carefully remove your egg and dig in.