How to Poach Eggs: Step-by-Step Perfectly Poached Eggs

The fresher the eggs, the easier they are to poach. No kidding. Fresh eggs hold together better when slipped into the simmering water. Fresh eggs also taste better and contain more of their nutrients. Pastured eggs (eggs from birds allowed to live in a field and scratch for much of their food, thus eating a varied and more natural diet) have been shown to have more healthful cholesterol and more vitamins. They tend to have brilliant orange (verging on day-glo) yolks and firm, bouncy whites.