5 Ingredients or Fewer

Daniel Patterson's Poached Scrambled Eggs

May  4, 2012
3
14 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

These are the quickest and fluffiest of scrambled eggs, made with an exceedingly forgiving technique. Though this recipe serves 2, you can scale up or down freely. Depending on how you plan to dress them up, you can also salt the water to taste without threatening the integrity of your eggs -- if you're serving them minimally, with just a ribbon of olive oil and sprinkle of flaky salt, go ahead and salt the water till it tastes like the sea, as you would for boiling pasta or blanching vegetables.

Recipe adapted very slightly from the New York Times Magazine, "The Way We Eat: Which Came First?" (January 8, 2006) —Genius Recipes

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
  • Fine sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
  1. Crack each egg into a medium-mesh sieve (or narrow-slotted spoon), letting the thin white drain away. Transfer the remaining yolk and white to a small bowl. (Note: If your eggs are very fresh, you can skip this step.) Beat the eggs vigorously with a fork or whisk for 20 seconds.
  2. Set a medium saucepan filled with about 4 inches of water over moderate heat. Put a strainer in the sink. When the water is at a low boil, add a few large pinches of salt, then stir in a clockwise direction to create a whirlpool. Pour the eggs into the moving water, cover the pot and count to 20.
  3. Turn off the heat and uncover the pot. The eggs should be floating on the surface in ribbons. While holding back the eggs with a spoon, pour off most of the water over the strainer. Gently slide the eggs into the strainer and press them lightly to expel any excess liquid. Tilt your strainer from side to side to release any trapped water (you can even drain them on paper towels, if you like).
  4. Scoop the eggs into bowls, drizzle with olive oil if desired and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

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Genius Recipes

Recipe by: Genius Recipes

49 Reviews

David D. October 10, 2022
Why? This feels like so much extra work and more dishes to clean. Just scramble the eggs on the stovetop.
 
Franca November 20, 2023
Agreed!
 
Will_h June 5, 2022
I prefer poaching eggs over frying because poaching results in tender, delicate whites. I have poaching down to science (ie Julia Child's method of boiling the egg inside the shell first, look it up).

Now, I don't personally care for scrambled eggs, but my son does. Mine are so so and there's a fair bit stuck to my Teflon pan (nevermind that I'd prefer to not use Teflon anyway).... And cleaning it, especially from around the handle bolts, is a pain. Given my success with standard poaching, when I saw scrambled eggs could also be boiled/poached, I decided to give it a go.

My son said these are the best scrambled eggs ever, better than mom's even (take that!). I'd have to agree. Just as with traditional poaching, the texture is superb.

I think some here prefer rubbery eggs or maybe they don't know better. To each his own I suppose.

There was very little waste and I did not separate the "runny white" whatever that is. Clean up was a snap as well.

Tips: Salt the water aggressively and add some vinegar for acidity. I added cheese after the fact and it melted fine. Also, use some happy eggs or other free range brand, the darker yolks taste much better than your regular store bought eggs.
 
AceSF October 2, 2020
nope. these are awful. just tasteless watery eggs.
 
S A. July 24, 2020
This is easy to do, and the result is beautiful but bland. Absolutely flavorless. I even seasoned my eggs with salt, pepper and garlic before hand- it's like the poaching just rips all the flavor out. Good thing I had Sriracha in the house, or this would have been an unpalatablely tasteless experience.
 
Tim August 27, 2017
Tried it - and while the eggs turned out nice and soft, I don't see any real advantage that warrants dirtying additional dishes. Plus, I like the taste of scrambled eggs cooked in butter or EVO.
Verdict: Fun experiment and it works, but I'll stick to my old ways.
 
Christie February 10, 2017
I tried this method a couple of times today. 20 seconds wasnt long enough in the water, I changed it to 35 seconds. I thought they were flavorless. It was like the water washed away all of the egg flavor. However, my daughter that hates eggs ate them and said they were "good for eggs". Maybe I have finally found a way for her eat an occasional egg for breakfast.
 
Henry May 21, 2016
Great idea, scrambled eggs and no frying, delicious and healthy.
 
Jethro B. June 2, 2015
It seems like way too much effort just for a couple of scrambled eggs. I can make them just as fluffy with a little more whisking and a frying pan. In fact, I can make quite fluffy scrambled eggs in the microwave on a paper plate, no less.
 
mdelgatty March 16, 2020
Or in a measuring cup - and the grandees get the thrill of watching them puff up...!
 
Melinda J. May 25, 2015
BEST EVER...! Kept it simple.... scrambled... put in vortex.. drained. DIVINE!
 
Debbie S. May 13, 2015
Ps... I boiled up a full kettle for first, (Saladmaster kettle with filtered water. No leeching from unsafe kettle) and by the time the first was cooked, the kettle was ready for the next. Didn't need to wait for the pot to boil. Also... important that the pot is deep enough and that the eggs are added gently or they will drop and stick to the bottom.
 
Debbie S. May 13, 2015
Tried this yesterday for brekkie. Absolutely great! Cooked first for hubbie but seemed a little bland so did mine with quite salty water and added more pepper to mix. Wonderful! Also, did NOT remove any of the white. My eggs were the usual supermarket free range type, so probably not too fresh, but they cooked beautifully and held together. Drained them with a deep fryer flatish sieve style scoop and rested scoop and eggs on folded paper towel to drain. perfect! Thank you so much for this recipe.
 
Barbara B. April 5, 2015
Yes, Yes, Yes to this wonderful recipe! I thought the best, fluffiest, tasty eggs I ever made were with the steam wand on my espresso machine but now I will follow Daniel's recipe. We have hens so our eggs were beyond perfect. This is a recipe I'll definitely pass on!
 
chris March 11, 2015
Really good eggs, especially with a drizzle of truffle oil. However, I made a big mess to clean-up (don't ask), and my four eggs drained down to barely enough for 2 people. I'll definitely try this method, again; I see great possibilities.
 
Susan H. March 8, 2015
I just made this. These were the lightest, fluffiest eggs we have ever eaten! I put a dab of butter on at the end with the salt and pepper. Perfect!
 
cajoto58 March 8, 2015
...I like my scrambles wet and fluffy must have spoonful of sour cream,added right after beaten barely mix in,perfection...tips from Sopranos' cast....those actors eat,cook and act like they love food!...but I will try this method and thanks for micro wave tips!
 
MARINNA February 11, 2015
loved this method!! yellow fluffy eggs i can FINALLY make lol
 
CJ January 25, 2015
I loved this technique! If I can get the timing down it pairs perfectly with a slice of perfect toast. Very custardy which is a favorite texture of mine. Thanks for sharing!
 
Jen S. December 15, 2014
Wow, kind of shocked at all the defensiveness on this thread :/ I have a scrambled egg method that I'm very happy with, but will try this out simply for the experience. Who knows? Could become my tried and true. and if not, well, the Food52 world and its followers will never know because I won't come back here and complain about it. Also, microwaved eggs? GROSS. Gah, just stop!
 
Alyssa May 5, 2014
These were delicious! I just made them for the first time. They were so light and fluffy and the addition of a little olive oil and salt made them crazy good. I usually scramble my eggs with butter, milk, and cheese, so this is far healthier. If you're looking for a faster way to scramble eggs, this isn't it. But it's worth the time. And the best part was that my three year-old helped me make them and then ate some! I can't remember the last time he took a bite of scrambled eggs and didn't spit them back out. This recipe is a winner, in my book.
 
Luvtocook May 4, 2014
I agree with poster deckercn's two year-old comment. If I'm really in a hurry for breakfast, I put a pat of butter in a big coffee cup, add one or two eggs that I've wildly mixed with a fork and "nuke" it for less than a minute. When the toast pops up, my scrambled eggs are ready, too. I'm a woman who lives by the adage: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. And I like my fluffy microwaved scrambled eggs just fine, thank you very much.
 
Parrotmom December 22, 2013
The best I can say about these is that the eggs were cooked and the texture was really silky. Other than that, I thought it was a waste of 2 perfectly beautiful farm-fresh eggs. Bland to the point of flavorless and adding olive oil, salt, and pepper made them taste like olive oil, salt, and pepper. I can scramble in a pan faster, with much tastier results.
 
eburck October 30, 2013
My grandfather taught me to make scrambled eggs this way at least 55 yrs ago. He would put a little butter in the boiling water, gently pour in the eggs. When they were done, he'd scoop them out with a slotted spoon & place them in a dish lined with saltine crackers & let the crackers soak up the remaining water. Amazingly delicious & one of my favorite comfort foods. Always brings me back to my childhood.
 
Food December 4, 2015
Eburke, I think that it is so cool that you were taught this technique so long ago. First time I have seen this :)

My initial reaction to this recipe was skeptical and suspicious, but after reading the many comments I realize that I and many others might have drank too much haterade. I should keep an open mind and be receptive to new ideas. Why else would I be reading about cooking scrambled eggs (which almost everyone can do)? Genuine recipe reviews and tips from those that have actually tried the recipe are helpful (even though you didn't like the results) but for others, please keep your nasty or unfunny sarcastic comments to yourself.
 
MariahK June 12, 2013
Just made these for breakfast and I love them! I salted the water heavily and the eggs weren't bland at all.
 
Dragnier May 6, 2013
They taste ok, if on the bland side. I wont be making them again. I cook for 4-5 people when I make breakfast and this just isn't worth the waiting. Once you count the time to boil the water and the time to drain the eggs, I can actually cook 4 scrambled eggs in a good ceramic non-stick on my induction much faster than the time this took. I would also like to add that 4 eggs cooked by this recipe like 2 eggs cooked the way I normally do. I can't afford to waste food like that.
 
Bob B. May 2, 2013
I made them and it works, but the 40 seconds doesn't include the time spent waiting for the water to drain from the finished eggs in the sieve. And they taste kind of bland. They were certainly fluffy but the time spent waiting for the water to boil could be spent scrambling the eggs in a skillet.
 
Johnny R. April 11, 2013
Okay...I have to admit that when I read this I had the same sort of reaction as mistervideo. But, after having just now cooked and eaten them, I have to say I will never do scrambled eggs any other way! These were fantastic. A friend just gave us some fresh laid eggs, so no need for draining them first...oh my goodness. Did I mention how good these were? Wow.
 
mistervideo January 15, 2013
First, separate the eggs according to gender (using your home DNA sequencer). Then recombine the eggs using your home microhematocrit centrifuge (every kitchen has one). Then, cook the eggs in your portable Large Hadron Collider and drain. Or just cook the eggs in a non-stick pan.
 
dinatserve January 16, 2013
In my house we call this talk "fresh".
Not like a "good egg" fresh.
 
bjboyle November 11, 2012
The easy way, break two eggs into a bowl & scrambe with a fork. Bring salted water to a boil in a 2qt pot turn down to simmer, create a vortex by stiring with a wooden spoon add the eggs. Cook for 25 seconds. Using a spoon hold the eggs back while draing the water, pick up the eggs with the spoon and place on paper towels. Now add anything you want on your eggs, Make toast add wilted spinach, eggs and a cheese sauce. I love theses eggs
 
bpeschell June 20, 2012
So if you want to add cheese or other toppings, obviously you would need to do that after plating it and hope it melts.
 
Kristen M. June 20, 2012
Actually, our Assistant Editor Nozlee recently tried mixing pesto in with the eggs before dumping them in the water and it worked great -- I bet adding cheese this way might be good too!
 
2nd F. June 6, 2012
Woke up this morning brewed a cup of joe and made these eggs and I must say what a gret way to start the day amazing
 
MsMora June 1, 2012
What a treat to make these eggs. Incredibly light and fluffy and perfect for those days I don't want over-easy eggs on my toast. Will try 25 seconds instead of 20 seconds the next time as I had one small pocket that was a tad runny.
 
Angela @. May 14, 2012
Made this for one using 1 whole egg and one white. I skipped the step of draining the raw egg because I wanted all the white so I whisked the eggs a full minute to be sure they were well blended. Worked great.
 
Indybindy May 10, 2012
There were pretty good, and easy. Definitely light and fluffy as advertised! I tried them without oil first, and found that they were much better with added flavor - will definitely make again.
 
Cheryl N. May 8, 2012
Way too much work & clean-up. I much prefer my tried & true method of microwaving a beaten egg (or 2) along with seasonings in a mug or bowl for a few seconds.
 
mrc May 8, 2012
I have now made these three times. I find this recipe produces extremely bland tasting eggs— even when the eggs are farm fresh. Would be a great recipe otherwise, but shouldn't taste come first? How much longer do regular scrambled eggs take anyway. You still have to wait for the water to boil. Clever. Not genius.
 
BronaCos May 7, 2012
Always felt like I was cheating when not slow cooking scrambled eggs as my grandmother taught me - simply don't always have the time, but now... ola! Just enjoyed eggs made this way and they were amazing - so tender and fluffy. Agree with Incognito - now we have two great techniques! Thank you for sharing.
 
Sherry A. May 6, 2012
050612 1:30 PDT I just made these eggs! What is perfect?? This is beyond perfect! I served it to myself with a slice of tomato, Fleur de sel and fresh cracked pepper. Life is good!
 
lgs May 6, 2012
I just make this! Works and I truly enjoyed it. Did have the straining problem, and may try a towel next time. Thanks!
 
Really light and fluffy - and those words have never been used with anything I've ever made. These were amazing and easy, but I need to work on the draining technique. I'll use paper towels as suggested because the strainer did not cut the mustard. Even with the water on the plate - delicious.
 
Bertha1tx May 6, 2012
Thank you for the recipe. I had tried the scrambled egg recipe done with a ziplock bag in the microwave, but never really liked cooking in plastic. This is fabulous. I love making eggs this way.
 
Reiney May 4, 2012
Fascinating! As easy as it sounds and worked perfectly. It takes some time to move it around to drain completely - I was a bit impatient on that aspect so my plate had some water run-off.
 
Kristen M. May 5, 2012
Glad you liked them! And great point about the water run-off -- I had that experience too. I've added a note to the recipe.
 
X May 4, 2012
Just prepared these eggs and they are delicious. Was a bit skeptical about the recipe (especially after lifting the pan lid to see a mass of watery stringy eggs) but they are incredibly light and tasty (when drained!). Have long been a fan of Jean George Vongerichten's Best Scrambled Eggs which also cook in about 5 minutes, but Patterson's recipe is a bit lighter and less rich tasting. There's room in the world for both techniques. Thanks for a good recipe!
 
drbabs May 4, 2012
OMG, I love this. Breakfast tomorrow!