# poached eggs - holding ???



## andy oliver (Mar 4, 2015)

so, i have for breakfast service around 100 poached eggs every morning cooked to order for a plated breakfast service over 4 hours,

my question is - at the moment i almost have to have 1 chef dedicated to this to keep the quality and the "soft" eggs

has anyone found a way of holding paoched eggs for service without killing them ,, or ice bath in batches then re heat ??

any ideas greatfully recieved thanks andy


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## capecodchef (Jan 19, 2014)

We poach 10 at a time on a regular basis in a single pan. Only takes several seconds to crack and drop (you could pre-crack if you feel the need into monkeys) Three minutes or so later, they're done. So that's only 30 minutes out of your 4 hour service. And while they're cooking, the same cook flips omelets, does over easys, scrams, etc. So why sandbag them?

That said, some competitors do precook them and I feel you can tell the difference. As you suspect, cook them loose. Ice bath. Drop in hot water to order for 15 seconds to reheat.

Or, you can sous vide. The new immersion circulators are cheap, under $200. That way you can hold them throughout the service and each one will be perfect. Maybe best for you.


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## grande (May 14, 2014)

One chef i worked for tried the immersion circulator and got complaints on texture. If you have a steamer you could do them in there.


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## capecodchef (Jan 19, 2014)

I'm guessing he was doing something wrong. They should be perfect using the immersion circulater. How would you utilize a steamer, to reheat you mean? To what benefit? Sorry, don't follow.


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## alaminute (Aug 22, 2013)

Sous vide is best. Par off a ton of eggs at 73 degrees Celsius and cool. When you're ready for service just rack them into warm water to remove the chill and you'll have a perfect poached egg


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## alaminute (Aug 22, 2013)

Sorry, mistype - it's 63 defrees


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## grande (May 14, 2014)

You can poach them in the steamer in hotel pans, or the sell trays for it.... seen it done, wasn't the one doing it. How about poaching eggs in stock pots, anyone seen that?


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## alaminute (Aug 22, 2013)

i have and I know when they're done they float but I've been turned on to using -as you said- hotel pans, rondeaus, and sauteush's if I have to do it to order. This is because the eggs form a more consistent shape when they have less water to fall through and move around in.


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## chef0069 (Mar 24, 2014)

Used to work at Grossingers in the Catskills, Kosher, on sat you could only reheat food, so every Friday we poached off six cases of eggs, in rondeau's, place them in ice bath, then remove them, place the clean ones in water baths in 4 in. hotels, dip them in simmering water to serve. Never a problem, you would lose a few, but they came out great.


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