Poached versus Coddled…What’s the difference?

Since I published the article on egg poaching, the question has come up concerning poaching versus coddling. What is the difference? Both are cooked in hot water below the boiling point. Both are not fully cooked.

In the traditional method of poaching, the egg is dropped in the water and cooked briefly.

In coddling, the egg is cooked in a container called a coddler, which comes with a lid. This method requires greasing or buttering the inside of the coddler, then dropping the egg into the coddler. The lid is then placed on the coddler and submerged to no more than half way in the hot water and cooked until the desired firmness is achieved. As with all egg recipes, everyone seems to like them done differently.

The traditional coddler is usually very decorative on the outside. It was meant to double as a serving dish. The earliest mass produced versions are from the late 19th century.

There are entire web sites dedicated to egg coddlers, mostly for antiques. One can purchase more modern versions at various kitchen shops even today. Most are less decorative than in the past, but still achieve the same result. However, decorative coddlers can be purchased still today. The practice seems more popular in England than in North America.

These are not to be confused with egg cups which are meant to hold a “3-minute” or soft boiled egg at the table whilst one eats it from the shell.

————————————————————————————————————————–