If you’ve treated yourself to some seasonal duck eggs for something a little different, you might be wondering about the best way to prepare them. Can you, for instance, poach duck eggs?
To poach duck eggs, crack eggs into swirling hot water the poach over a medium heat for between 3 and 4 minutes depending on how well done you like your eggs.
How to Poach Duck Eggs
While you might notice a slightly more intense flavour to duck eggs when compared to chicken eggs, the reality is that they’re not overly different.
This fact means that you can poach duck eggs very similarly to chicken eggs by following the steps we introduce below:
- Boil Water
Add approximately two inches of water and a tbsp of vinegar to a saucepan and bring to a boil on the stovetop. - Remove the Water
Remove the pan from the heat when you notice the water has progressed from a simmer to a boil. - Whisk
Whisk the water to create a whirlpool, and crack your eggs into the water. This helps them to stay together in the water. - Poach on Medium Heat
Place your pan back over a medium heat to maintain the simmer, and allow your eggs to poach for around three to four minutes, depending on how firm you like your eggs. - Remove Eggs
Using a skimming spoon, remove your eggs and drain any excess water. - Serve and Enjoy
Serve your poached duck eggs on freshly baked bread, and season with salt and pepper to enjoy.
There are mixed messages about whether soft-centred duck eggs are safe to eat. They are, generally, as safe to chicken eggs to eat with a soft, runny centre. 
How to Poach Duck Eggs Successfully
We’ve come up with 3 tips you’ll want to follow to guarantee success whenever poaching duck eggs:
- Get Your Timing Right – For soft poached duck eggs with a runny yolk, three minutes on medium heat should do the trick. You will need to poach them for up to five minutes for a firmer yolk.
- Prevent Whispy Whites with a Bowl – One of the biggest challenges when poaching duck eggs is producing wispy whites. If you place your eggs in a small glass bowl and allow them to poach for around twenty seconds, they will begin solidifying within the bowl. This makes it easier to control the spread of the whites through the pan.
- Store Properly – Duck eggs will spoil if they’re not stored correctly. Instead of keeping duck eggs in your fridge door, place them in the main body of the shelf, so they are maintained at a cool and consistent temperature.
This will keep your duck eggs fresher for longer.
Why You Should Poach Duck Eggs?
Poaching duck eggs is one of the best ways to enjoy them, and doing so has the following benefits:
Healthy
Poached duck eggs are a healthy alternative to fried eggs and mean you don’t have to add calories (in the form of oil or butter, for instance) to the eggs to enjoy them.
Of course, the health benefits will be negligible if you put the poached eggs on top of white toast slathered in butter.
Perfect Texture
When sliced open, perfectly poached duck eggs will release their yolk onto your plate, which is ideal for dipping up with freshly baked bread.
Why You Shouldn’t Poach Duck Eggs?
Poaching duck eggs is great, but it might not be for everyone for the following reasons:
Can be Difficult
Poaching isn’t the easiest way to prepare duck eggs, so you might have to practice a couple of times before getting it right! It’s far easier to pop duck eggs into a pan and then fry them.
A Little Time Consuming
Because you have to boil and then simmer the water, poaching duck eggs is a little time-consuming and takes longer than frying or scrambling eggs. But when something is this good then it’s expected to take a little bit of effort.
Is It Safe to Poach Duck Eggs?
Duck eggs are best enjoyed when they’re cooked thoroughly and piping hot.
While you might like your poached eggs nice and runny, you should still ensure they’ve been poached for at least three minutes to give them sufficient chance to cook through before serving them.
Do Duck Eggs Poach Well?
Duck eggs poach just as well as any other type of egg, and providing you follow the instructions we’ve listed; you should encounter no issues while poaching your eggs.
But as we’ve mentioned, poaching duck eggs isn’t the easiest way to prepare them, so you must be patient while you learn how to master the technique.
If you like poached chicken eggs then, chances are, you’ll like poached duck eggs too!
Poaching Duck Eggs FAQs
If you still have questions about poaching duck eggs, then these FAQs might help you out:
This comes down to personal preference. To get the best flavour and texture from a duck egg, poaching them is one of the best methods to cook a duck egg.
This depends on who you ask and where you source your duck eggs. If you ask a food standard’s agency, they will insist that you cook them fully. If you ask a professional chef, they’ll claim you should cook them so they’re runny.
Ross is a freelance writer with a passion for delicious food and drinks, having worked in the hospitality industry in the past. He began working with Let’s Foodie when it first launched to provide information on how to reheat, freeze and microwave different foods.
