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The Ultimate Egg
All Cooking Methods

Coddled

medium 15 min

A coddled egg is cooked slowly in a covered dish suspended in simmering water — gentler than poaching, more refined than baking. It produces an impossibly silky, barely-set egg that's halfway between a custard and a soft-boil.

Step by Step

  1. Butter the inside of an egg coddler (a small porcelain cup with a screw-on lid) or a heatproof 4-ounce jar with a lid. If you don't own a coddler, a small ramekin covered tightly with foil works.

  2. Add a teaspoon of cream or butter to the bottom of the coddler. If desired, add a small amount of finely minced filling: smoked salmon, herbs, grated cheese, or truffle shavings.

  3. Crack 1–2 eggs into the coddler. Season with salt and white pepper. Add another small splash of cream on top.

  4. Screw on the lid (or seal with foil). The seal should be snug but not airtight — steam needs to escape.

  5. Place the coddler in a saucepan of gently simmering water. The water should come about 3/4 of the way up the side of the coddler. Maintain a bare simmer — the water should barely move.

  6. Cook for 6–8 minutes with the saucepan covered. At 6 minutes, the egg will be very soft with a barely-set white. At 8 minutes, the white will be set and the yolk will be warm and thickened but still liquid.

  7. Carefully remove the coddler from the water (use tongs — it's hot). Let it rest for 30 seconds, then unscrew the lid. Eat directly from the coddler with a small spoon and toast.

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