Food & Cooking Recipes Breakfast & Brunch Recipes How to Make Poached Eggs 3.8 (8) It's an easy and essential technique. Yield: 4 Jump to recipe According to Martha, poaching eggs is easy: if you know how to crack an egg and simmer water, you have the skills to poach an egg. All you need are eggs, water, white vinegar, and a shallow pan to poach in. Poaching is a wet cooking technique where you submerge foods fully or partially in liquid, using little or no fat. And when you dig into the runny yolk and enjoy the delicate egg white, you'll agree it's also a delicious way to cook eggs—so get cracking! Credit: Rob Tannenbaum Tomato Soup with Poached Eggs Make Ahead You can make poached eggs ahead up to 24 hours ahead: Prior to cooking the eggs, prepare an ice-water bath fitted with a sieve; set aside.Cook eggs through step 2 below. Then immediately place eggs in an ice-water bath to stop the cooking.Transfer to a bowl of cool water (it should just reach the tops of the eggs). If storing longer than one hour, place bowl in refrigerator (covered). Reheating Reheat by briefly placing eggs in a pan of barely simmering water, just until warmed through. Serve on toast, if desired, seasoned with salt and pepper. Directions Boil water, add vinegar: Fill a large straight-sided skillet with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Add vinegar and return to a boil. Cook eggs: Cook until whites are just set but the yolks are still soft, they should still move around inside, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove eggs from pan: Lift out eggs with a slotted spoon or small mesh sieve and briefly rest on bread to allow eggs to drain. Trim and serve: Trim edges with a knife for a prettier presentation before serving on toast, if desired, seasoned with salt and pepper.