Julia Child’s 10-Second Trick for Perfect Eggs Every Time

When learning to cook, many of us—including well-known chefs like Ina Garten—have turned to Julia Child to learn the basics. Child’s cooking tricks and culinary knowledge are timeless and her book, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1.” is still referenced by many today. The French-trained chef was well-known for countless recipes, most famously Boeuf Bourguignon and Coq Au Vin. She also captured the heart of the home cook with her straightforward tips and flavorful recipes such as her roasted chicken dinner. 

Child focused on utilizing classic cooking techniques and making them approachable for all skill levels. For example, she believed that poached eggs, a brunch favorite, could be perfected at home with just one easy additional step.

Julia Child’s 10-Second Trick for Perfect Poached Eggs 

In season six of her series "The French Chef," Child demonstrates her technique for poached eggs. She begins by discussing one of the most important keys to success: fresh eggs. Child explains that ideally, you should look for USDA Grade AA whenever possible, but that the date and grade are not the only factors. Temperature and humidity during storage can also affect the egg and these factors combined can determine how the egg whites react during poaching.

Her simple tip for rounded firm whites rather than wispy edges is surprisingly simple: to boil the egg in its shell for 10 seconds before cracking it open into your poaching pot. This allows the egg whites to firm up so that even if your eggs aren’t Grade AA or farm fresh, you can still achieve the firm, neat whites characteristic of a poached egg.

How to Poach an Egg Like Julia Child

Using Julia Child’s method, you must first use a sanitized push pin to poke a small hole into the widest end of the egg. This releases pressure which will prevent the shell from cracking. Then, carefully place the entire egg, while still in its shell, into boiling water for just 10 seconds.

Setting a timer for this step is crucial because leaving the egg in boiling water too long will affect the structure and start to cook the egg. Once the 10 seconds have passed, remove the egg from the boiling water. You can then carefully crack open the egg in a shallow pan of gently simmering water as you normally would for poaching until it’s cooked to your liking.

So, the next time you find yourself craving Eggs Benedict or Pesto Risotto with poached eggs, try out Julia Child’s hack for a restaurant-worthy presentation.