Easy Coddled Egg Recipe

Love eggs? Then learn to coddle eggs! Boil your breakfast with a device from 1800s England and make yourself the talk of the brunch bunch!

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Just when you thought you couldn’t love eggs any more than you already do, you discover you can actually coddle them. It is exactly and yet not at all, as it sounds.

Coddled eggs grew in prominence in 1800s England when the nation discovered you could fill a “coddler” (a lidded porcelain container) with egg and then boil it. The result is something similar to poached eggs and soft-boiled eggs but done over a longer period of time.

The advantage coddled eggs have over poached eggs is that you can add different flavors and textures, like bacon, cream, butter, and herbs. So, these coddlers become a one-stop cooking device. Though it takes longer to cook, you’re able to do it all at once!

what’s the difference between coddled and poached eggs?

While both involve cooking the insides of an egg, poaching sees you do so directly in the water, whereas coddling sees you use a coddler, a small container like a lidded ramekin. The benefit of the coddler is that you can add other ingredients to it, and cook a mini-meal. I also find it to be lower maintenance than poaching but maybe that’s just me.

Is Coddled Egg Healthy?

It sure is. After all, there is little to separate it from other methods of preparing eggs, which are also good for you. It (the egg) is high in protein and low in carbs. It’s suitable for vegetarian and gluten-free diets, and can be adapted for Whole30, paleo, and lactose-free diets if you opt for ghee butter instead of traditional butter. You’ll also want to ensure the herbs are paleo- and whole30-compliant.

aren’t eggs high in cholesterol?

Yes and no. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, eggs got a bad reputation for their cholesterol level; however, what most people didn’t understand is that there are different types of cholesterol. While they are high in dietary cholesterol, they don’t necessarily raise your blood cholesterol, and consequently, had little impact on your heart health, which is what everyone was concerned with. That’s not to give you permission to eat an unlimited amount of eggs (everything in moderation!) but it should let you sleep easy knowing your breakfast fave isn’t driving you to an early demise.

INGREDIENTS

2 medium eggs
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp fresh herbs, chopped
pinch of salt & black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep

Grease the coddling dish or cups lightly with the butter and set aside. Fill a saucepan with enough water to reach about halfway up the sides of the coddling dish. Bring the water to a gentle simmer over MEDIUM heat.

Fill

Carefully crack an egg into each cup. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.

Simmer

Place the cups into the saucepan of water and cover with a lid. Simmer for about 8 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked to your liking (see the chart below)

Remove

Turn off the heat and carefully remove the cups with tongs. Serve them immediately with buttered toast.

DEVOUR!

Coddling Time	Egg Consistency
5 minutes	Soft and runny
7 minutes	Slightly set, runny yolk
10 minutes	Mostly set, creamy yolk
12 minutes	Fully set, but still creamy

Tips & Tricks to Making a Perfect Easy Coddled Egg

Having trouble tracking down a coddler? Try Etsy, where they’ve seemingly become quite the fashionable dining paraphernalia to have on display in your kitchen.

Use the freshest eggs you can find—they’ll deliver the best taste and texture.
Every minute counts when cooking eggs so keep a timer handy and abide by the chart above.
Take advantage of the fact you can remove the lid and inspect the eggs (something you can’t do with soft-boiled eggs). If it looks like they need a while longer, leave them be.
If you can’t get your hands on a proper coddler, use 4 oz. baby-food jars instead. They’re designed to be boiled at low temperatures and so, make the perfect substitute.

Easy Coddled Egg Recipe featured image below

FAQs

how many calories are in coddled eggs?

There are about 114 calories in one coddled egg, as prepared here. How much butter you use will make that number fluctuate. Obviously, once you get this basic recipe down pat, you’ll want to experiment with other ingredients. At which point, the calorie count will go up.

how do i prevent overcooking?

Because a coddled egg should be soft-boiled (hard white with liquid yolk), you’ll want to stay on top of how long it cooks for. Luckily, you can take a peek inside and investigate. When it looks done, remove it from the water.

can i coddle more than one egg at a time?

If you have a coddler that can hold more than one egg at a time, then sure. Just be aware that you’ll need to adjust your cooking times.

is coddling a healthier method of cooking eggs?

Coddling has two things going for it nutrition-wise: it uses minimal added fat (presuming this is an issue for you) and it cooks the eggs at low temperature. Doing so helps preserve the egg’s nutrients, as opposed to, say, frying or boiling which uses high heat and can compromise the healthfulness of the egg.

Serving Suggestions

Coddled eggs are traditionally served for breakfast and brunch so why not serve them up with Low-Carb Keto Oatmeal, or maybe something of the ‘pancake’ variety, like Fluffy Cottage-Cheese Pancakes or Protein Waffles? For a side, make a quick batch of Breakfast Potatoes and wash it all down with a Peanut Butter Keto Low Carb Smoothie With Almond Milk.

variations

Once you get the basics down, try cooking up these breakfast combos:

Cajun: Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of cajun powder on the egg before cooking.

Garlic Parmesan: Saute some garlic then add it, along with Italian herbs and Parmesan cheese, to the pre-cooked egg.

Meat Lovers: Add ham, chorizo, chopped-up bits of cooked bacon, or cooked sausage to the coddler for a substantial snack.

how to prep and store coddled eggs

If you want to make coddled eggs beforehand, you can store them in an airtight container (let them cool first) in the fridge for up to 3 days, though I much prefer them fresh. To reheat, cook on LOW in the microwave or do them on the stove with a bit of butter. I don’t recommend freezing them; eggs lose their texture when frozen.