This post may contain affiliate links which help support Zestuous.

Egg Tools from ZestuousEvery couple of seasons reality cooking shows take chef challenges back to basics. After weeks of foie gras ice cream and cucumber foam, they’re asked to cook a simple egg. I don’t remember how I learned to fry, scramble and poach my first eggs, but over the years, I’ve collected quite a few gadgets to help in the process. My favorite egg seasoning is Mrs. Dash Original Blend, and my favorite technique is frying an egg over easy in melted butter and serving it on top of buttered toast. But when I want a healthier option, I go with poached or soft boiled, which is where all of my gadgets come into play. Sure you can simply boil water and cook your eggs in a pot, but Williams-Sonoma wouldn’t be in business if we didn’t love our kitchen tools. I have a traditional egg cooker, egg coddlers, Poach Pods, egg cups and an egg topper.

Egg Cooker

Egg Tools from ZestuousThe traditional egg cooker is probably what most people are familiar with. It’s an electric steamer that can poach, soft boil or hard boil eggs in minutes. I recently bought the Cuisinart model. It can poach three eggs at a time or soft or hard boil seven at a time. The cooker comes with a measuring cup that has markings to tell you how much water you need, depending on the cooking technique and number of eggs you are cooking.

Egg Tools from ZestuousThe measuring cup has a sharp pin on the bottom. You rinse your eggs and then pierce the large end with the pin. This helps release steam from your eggs, so they won’t crack. Pour the correct amount of water into the cooker, place the egg tray inside and set the eggs (large end up) into the tray. Place the lid on top, and turn the cooker on. The machine will beep when your eggs are ready. Today, I made one soft boiled egg, and it came out perfect.

Egg Tools from ZestuousIt wasn’t until I visited England that I learned how to properly eat a soft boiled egg. It should be cradled in an egg cup. The cup keeps it upright while you scoop out the tender egg white and luscious yolk. But to get to that goodness, you need another gadget, an egg topper. Set the topper on the small end of the cooked egg. Gently squeeze the handle. Tiny teeth protrude from the ring, cracking the eggshell.

Egg Tools from Zestuous This allows you to remove the top piece, so you can dunk toasted bread strips or a small spoon inside. Every time I eat a soft boiled egg in an egg cup, I feel like royalty, fitting since England just celebrated the royal wedding.

Egg Coddler

Egg Tools from ZestuousThe next tool in my arsenal was also found in Europe. I was at a quaint bed and breakfast north of Amsterdam, Inn on the Lake. Sitting on the patio enjoying Greek yogurt and pastries, our Dutch hostess came out with these elegant glass cups of eggs. While soft boiled eggs in egg cups are naturalistically beautiful, these coddled eggs add flavor to their beauty.

Egg Tools from ZestuousFollowing breakfast, I boarded the B&B’s personal boat, and we navigated the canals into Amsterdam. My first stop, the department store that sold these dainty egg coddlers. To coddle eggs, you crack an egg into the glass coddler and add whatever your heart desires, crumbled bacon, a dab of butter, seasoning, etc. Place the lid on top and secure with the metal clasp.

Egg Tools from ZestuousPlace the coddlers in boiling water for about six minutes and serve. The challenging part of this cooking technique is ensuring the egg white is cooked through, but that the egg yolk is still runny. To get that consistency every time, be sure that the boiling water reaches right up to the rim of the coddler. If the water is too shallow, the white on top will remain runny.

Egg Tools from ZestuousAnother hint…don’t try this in a microwave. I thought that would be easier, so I filled the coddler, placed the lid on top and left the metal clasp off. Within 30 seconds, the lid flew off the top and the egg exploded all over the inside of my microwave. Not fun.

Poach Pods

Poach PodsI don’t know what it is about me, eggs and Europe, but my next egg cooking tool, was bought in Windsor, England. After touring the castle, I walked the cobblestone streets of the charming town and came across a kitchen store.

Poach PodsAmong the many things I bought that day were Poach Pods. They are flexible, plastic bowls that allow you to poach eggs in boiling water without the messiness of traditional poached eggs.

Poach PodsAnd like the egg coddlers, you can add butter, herbs, cream or bacon into the cup as you prepare them. Crack an egg into the Poach Pod, cook plain or with extra flair, place in a shallow pan of boiling water and cover.

Poach PodsCook for 3-4 minutes, until the egg white is cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pods from the water. Then, with a regular spoon, scoop the eggs out of the pods and serve.

Microwave

Microwaved Poached Egg from ZestuousDespite all of these fun tools, I still hadn’t prepared the perfect poached egg…until today, thanks to bon appétit food editor Mary-Frances Heck. In the May issue, she shared her method for poaching eggs in the microwave. Based on my failed attempt to coddle eggs in the microwave, I was apprehensive and didn’t really feel like scraping dried egg yolk out of every nook and cranny of my microwave again…but I had faith bon appétit wouldn’t steer me wrong.

Microwaved Poached Egg from ZestuousThe only tools you need for this technique are a coffee mug, a saucer and a microwave. Just pour ½ cup of water in the mug. Crack the egg inside. Cover with a saucer and nuke for one minute. Spoon the egg out of the mug and serve. I goofed on my first attempt. After one minute, I left the egg in the microwave while I buttered my toast. During that extra 30-60 seconds, the egg continued to cook and the yolk was harder than I prefer. So I tried again.

Microwaved Poached Egg from ZestuousAmazing. I spooned the egg out right away, and the egg white was still tender, and when pierced, the yolk poured onto my English muffin. On weekdays, when I’m rushed to head to work, microwave poached eggs are going to be my new go-to breakfast, but when I’m entertaining and want to add that extra elegance to breakfast, I’ll always fall back to my coddlers and egg cups. Bon appétit!


You May Also Like


Christie Vanover

About Zestuous

Hi. I’m Christie, the head cook and award-winning competitive pitmaster for Team Girls Can Grill. I have won multiple grand championships and have dozens of top ten category finishes. People know me as the girl who is forever hovering over a grill, smoker or campfire with tongs in one hand and a glass of wine in the other.


Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

5 Comments

  1. Nancy, When I make fried eggs, I usually cook them over easy in a non-stick pan with butter for about 3 minutes. Then, I flip them for about 60 seconds. But it sounds like your husband prefers Sunny Side Up. You should heat the pan to medium. Melt a pat of butter. Crack the egg into the pan. Season, cover and cook for about 4-5 minutes. I will do a little more research for you and add the perfect sunny side up egg recipe/tools to this post.

  2. I did a google search and got your website. I have been married for 18 years this
    Thursday. This morning I fixed my not-usually-grumpy husband his usual sunny side up eggs and he informed me that in all these years I have never been able to cook them right. I think he likes the egg white done and the yolk runny to mix with his toast or hash browns. He says to put the lid on the pan with the eggs and olive oil, but the egg white first was not done, so he sent them back to me, the cook, and then the egg white was too done. Can you tell me how hot to get the skillet, how long to cook them, and what’s the secret? I grew up with hard fried eggs, and I guess I cannot get the hang of it. Thanks!