Poach pods are a great little kitchen gadget.  They’re silicone pods that you float in water that can be used to poach eggs (which is mostly how I use them!).  But how long do you poach eggs for in a poach pod?  Maybe you’ve lost your instructions, so, below, I’ve typed up the instructions for cooking poached eggs with poach pods and the care instructions.

As they are silicone, they are really flexible and adaptable for many other uses in the kitchen.  These are the instructions from my poach pods, although other brands will be the same/similar.  Poach pods are:

• Heat resistant to 675°F/350°C (this surprises me, that it’s so much; it’d be rare to need these temperatures)
• Microwave safe
• Non-stick
• Freezer safe
• Dishwasher safe

As they are a food preparation product, poach pods are FDA approved – which means they won’t leach anything nasty into food during use.

So you can pretty much use them everywhere in the kitchen!  I used to use my poach pods to make poached eggs in a saucepan of water, but I’ve now switched to doing it in the microwave (I should do a post about that!)

Instructions to Poach an Egg:

• Oil the poachpod and bring about 1½” of water to a boil in a shallow pan that has a lid. Reduce down to a simmer.
• Crack an egg into the poach pod – one egg per pod and float the whole pod in the water.
• Cover the pan with a lid and cook in simmering water 4-6 minutes or to desired firmness.
• Use a slotted spoon to remove the poachpod from the water.
• To remove the poached egg from the poachpod, run a spoon around the egg edge then flip the pod inside out and gently push the egg out.

Bake in a Poach Pod:

I rarely do this, I should do it more really, but you can bake individual portions of cake, or frittata, or flans/quiche, or anything else you want to bake using a poach pod.  They are oven-safe to a very high temperature, higher than most things you’d ever be cooking. This method can be handy for making a little side portion of something like an egg custard for dessert, alongside your regular dinner you’re cooking.

• To bake flan, frittata, cakes or other baked goods, fill oiled poachpod with favourite batter, place pods on a pan for support and cook recipe as directed.

In those instructions it says to place the pods on a pan for support, I’ve used muffin tins for this in the past.  Although, mostly I’ve tended to use my silicone cup cake cases for mini quiches and bakes and cakes.  But, it’s good to know that you could use a poach pod in the oven if you wished to do so!

Use Poach Pods as a Mould:

The instructions also say you can use a poach pod as a mould – simply fill with the food you want to mould, then chill or freeze as required – and simply turn the pod inside out to release the dish.  These could be the perfect shape/size for individual puddings, or ice cream portions.  I’m afraid I’m not so sophisticated that I’ve bothered what desserts look like, to date – but you never know when the urge might take you to create a single portion or two of something fabulous that simply needs a little domed mould.

Cleaning a Poach Pod & Pod Care:

Personally, I just toss it into the kitchen sink and wash it up with everything else, but there are some care instructions on the product tag for those who would wish to see if they’re dishwasher safe (yes, they are!)

So here are the Additional Use and Care Information notes:

• Lightly oil pods when poaching eggs. 
• Recommended to use a sauté pan with a lid for poaching eggs
• When baking, place pods on a sturdy part or tray for support
• Cooking time may vary from standard baking time
• DO NOT use any sharp object to remove food from pods
• When cleaning, DO NOT use abrasive cleaners or pads.
• DO NOT place pods directly on any flame or burner (*NOTE: This one’s important)
• When placing in a dishwasher put a top rack prong through one hole in the pod to keep pod in place while washing.

I love my poach pods, I’ve been using them for quite a number of years now (time flies!).  I don’t use them to their full potential though – I should explore their uses more.

How to Oil a Poach Pod:

It might seem a simple task, for those of you with oil sprays – but if you’re staring at a 1 litre bottle of oil you might be thinking “OK, so I have to oil this floppy thing, that’s going to be difficult!” 

Well, it’s easier than you think – and here’s my kitchen tip (they call these top kitchen hacks these days you know!)

All you do is pour a tiny amount of oil into the bottom of the pod, then use the base of a common teaspoon to spread it around the pod. Easy peasy.  Pod in the palm of one hand and it’s a quick whip round with the spoon inside the pod to oil it!

Other Benefits of Poach Pods:

One of the reasons I like owning silicone bakeware and silicone products is that they’re so easy to stack and store.  If you compare them to, say, a metal item, they’re less noisy when you’re sifting through things in the cupboard, they don’t clatter if you open a cupboard door and everything falls out, they won’t go rusty if you toss them in the washing up bowl and don’t get round to washing up for a day or two, they fold down and bend, so they don’t need much space in a drawer and can be squashed.  They’re also lightweight if you’re ever moving!

Poach pods are a perfect “toss in the box and take with me” kitchen gadget for holiday homes too – because they’re so lightweight and squish up.

Overall, these really work!

Buy Poach Pods:

If you remember to keep an eye out you’ll spot them in kitchenware shops across the country, for everything else, there’s Poach Pods on eBay!

Perfect Gift for Campers:

If you’re looking for a stocking filler, or small gift, for campers or hikers, these would go down a storm as they’re so lightweight and bendable they’d not be a burden – and they can be used in a saucepan of water on a beach or campfire!  A Camping hamper winner.