A lot of people ask me what's the secret to perfectly poaching eggs at home? The answer to that is a combination of water temperature, acid and having super FRESH eggs (this is really important!).

Before we start learning how to do it, let's learn more about the method of cooking we will be using. Poaching is a technique that involves cooking by submerging food in low heat liquid (about 70–80 °C). It is considered a very healthy method of cooking because there is no fat involved at all. In order to achieve a perfect-looking egg, we need to get the freshest egg possible. If it is not a fresh egg, it just may not work. It’s as simple as that.

But how to tell if an egg is fresh? Well, this picture is an example of an egg from a big Australian supermarket brand compared with an organic/local fresh egg from my neighbours.

So, what to do? Crack one of your eggs on a plate and look at it. You'll see three parts: the egg yolk (orange/yellow part), the thick egg white (the 'mucousy' looking one) and the thin egg white (looks like water).

Remember this tip! The bigger the thick egg white is (the 'mucousy' looking one), the fresher the egg is! That part will be the one that covers the egg yolk like a bag.

Now, look at this picture you will see that the one on the left is the supermarket egg, with a very orange egg yolk, a very small thick egg white, and a big thin egg white, which means that it is not good for poaching.

However, the one on the right is a local egg that has a yellowish egg yolk and a massive thick egg white (and no thin egg white whatsoever). That means that it is really fresh and perfect to poach! 

So remember! The next time you want to know if your eggs are fresh enough in order to make an amazing poached egg... Crack them and LOOK at them before starting the process!

It will be easy to decide if they are the right ones to use for poaching, or on the contrary, they should be used for an omelette, a frittata or for fried eggs.

Steps to follow:

- Fill a big pot with boiling water from the kettle. Add a splash of white vinegar.

- Bring to a light simmer over a medium heat and season with a pinch of sea salt.

- Crack the free-range or organic egg into a cup or small plate (Look at it! Does it look good? Yes, then follow the steps below).

- Stir the water with a kitchen spoon and gently pour the egg into it.

- Remember, a soft poached egg should take around 2.5 minutes. And a soft-to-firm one will need 4 minutes. Of course it will always depend on the size of the egg and whether you’re using it straight from the fridge or not (it is always better to use the eggs at room temperature).

- To check if it’s done, carefully remove your egg from the water with a perforated kitchen spoon. If it feels too soft (use your instincts here), put it back in the water and give it a minute or so more to firm up.

- When your egg is ready, remove and place it on some kitchen paper to dry off. Serve immediately! Add seasoning, or dukkah, za'atar, chilli flakes... you name it!

Enjoy!