What is a Coddled Egg?
In this era of salmonella panic and fear of eating anything remotely undercooked, a coddled egg for breakfast is not as popular in the United States as it was 100 years ago. The coddled egg still retains its popularity in Great Britain, however.
A coddled egg is somewhat similar to a poached egg. The difference is that poached eggs are cracked into an egg poacher and lightly cooked in the boiling water. A coddled egg is cooked within a glazed porcelain pot, in a pot of boiling water, although it may be cooked slowly in the shell. A coddled egg is cooked slowly and retains a soft yolk, and a tender white.
The coddled egg has been popular for many years, probably since man figured out that eggs were edible. Coddled eggs are used in many recipes, some sweet, some savory. Coddled egg yolks may be used to make a sweet custard, but they are also used in a traditional Caesar salad dressing recipe.
Years ago, having beautifully painted egg coddlers was a point of pride in middle and upper class families. These little pots had flowers or other designs painted on and made a nice table presentation for company. This was extremely important in the Victorian era. The Royal Worcester Company still makes egg coddlers as they did in the 1800s. Some antiques enthusiasts also collect old egg coddlers, and they may be found online or in antique stores.
One method for making a coddled egg involves buttering the sides and bottom of an egg coddler and gently breaking an egg into it. The egg is then seasoned and the top is placed on the egg coddler, which is then lowered into the pot of boiling water for about 5-6 minutes, depending on the size of the egg and desired doneness. The egg coddler is lifted from the pot and placed on a saucer. The diner then slides the egg from the pot onto the saucer and eats it. All sorts of additions may be made to a coddled egg, including lemon juice, bacon bits, ham chunks, salmon flakes and other savory items. Recipes are available online.
Scrubbing the raw egg shells before breaking them is a good way to help prevent salmonella and using fresh eggs is also a good idea.
Written by A Kaminsky
