You ever go into a diner, or what passes as a diner in some areas, and order poached eggs? Yeah, me too.

I love poached eggs. My problem is that most people, around here any way, don’t cook them properly. Let me break it down for you:

A poached egg is gently cooked in NEARLY boiling water (or another, more flavorful liquid) to fully set the whites and leave the yolk creamy and magical. I love a couple poached eggs on top of sweet potato hash browns.

What you usually get is either an undercooked egg that has the texture of something that reminds you of the last cold you had or a chicken-produced golf ball. Not yummy.

Simply put: people miscook eggs far too often for a properly poached egg is truly one of nature’s miracles.

I am not equipped to demonstrate how to properly poach an egg so I will do the next best thing: here’s Alton Brown to school you on proper poaching technique.

Did you know you can also poach a perfect egg in the microwave? Here’s how:

in a 1 cup ramaken or teacup fill halfway with water. Add a couple drops of vinegar*. Crack the egg into the water gently. Place in microwave and cover with a saucer or something, you could use plastic wrap but not too tight.

*The vinegar is optional but I find that it helps coagulate the whites faster and lowers the chance of a partially cooked yolk. Unless you’re into that kind of thing.

Microwave for 30 seconds to one minute. I would start with 30 seconds then check and add 10 seconds at a time until it’s perfect. I cooked two one at one minute and it was just overdone. The yolk had just started to set a little. The second I started with 30 seconds and ended up with a near perfect poach at 45 seconds. It will probably vary based on the microwave and freshness of the egg. Fresh eggs poach better.

Take the dish out of the microwave, be careful the water is hot, and remove the egg gently with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to absorb the excess water. Eat. Better yet throw a couple on top of some sweet potato hash.

What’s your favorite method of cooking an egg?