The Trick to Poaching a Perfectly Round Egg

Poached eggs are a wonderful addition to brunch, but sometimes they don't always turn out so well. Often, the egg white is stringy and the end result isn't very round. However, it's actually very easy to poach a perfectly round egg at home.

It is essential to use farm-fresh eggs, the fresher the better. Crack an egg into a mesh strainer, which helps to separate the white from its thinner bits. The thin white is what causes poached eggs to have that stringy quality. Once the egg has strained, carefully pour it into a bowl.

Make sure you have a pot of simmering water ready. It should be just about to boil around 180 to 190 degrees. Add salt to the pot to increase the density of the water, which will help the egg float. Pour in about a tablespoon or a tablespoon and a half of white vinegar. Make sure it's a neutral vinegar so that it doesn't affect the flavor.

Stir the pot so that the salt dissolves. Stirring the water also helps to create a vortex which will shape the egg. Pour the egg into the little whirl pool that you've created, which will pull the egg white over the yolk. Let the egg cook for around a minute or two. The egg is finished when the white has set and the yolk is still soft. You can even trim off any stringy parts.

Watch the video above to learn the trick to poaching a perfectly round egg.

Image Credit: Martha Stewart