Crock pot poached eggs

I HAVE SPOKEN ON THE "SOUS VIDE" TECHNIQUE BEFORE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MINUTE TO TALK ABOUT ANOTHER APPLICATION TO LOW AND SLOW "CROCK POT COOKERY". I ASSUME EVERYONE IS FAMILIAR WITH THE YE OLE’ COOKING DEVICE THE CROCK POT. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS TO GET YOU TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND VIEW IT AS MORE OF A LIQUID OVEN NOT A POT OF WATER. HOPEFULLY THIS LITTLE EASY TECHNIQUE FOR COOKING EGGS WILL GET THOSE GEARS TURNIN’. 

FIRST, GET OUT THE CROCK POT, FILL IT FULL OF WATER AND PLUG IT IN. TURN THE DIAL TO A LITTLE PAST THE HALF WAY MARK. IF IT MAXES OUT AT 10 THEN 6 SHOULD SUFFICE. WAIT FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 30 MINUTES OR UNTIL YOU ARE INDICATED THAT THE WATER HAS COME UP TO ITS DESIRED TEMP BASED ON THE SETTING CHOSEN. WITH A DIGITAL THERMOMETER CHECK THE WATER TEMPERATURE, IT SHOULD BE AROUND 155 DEGREES. IF IT IS TOO HOT ADD A LITTLE ICE AND NUDGE THE TEMPERATURE DIAL DOWN A LITTLE, IF TOO COLD THEN NUDGE THE DIAL UP A LITTLE. NEXT PLACE SOME EGGS IN THE WATER BEING CAREFUL TO PLACE THEM ON THE BOTTOM -DO NOT DROP THEM. THEY SHOULD FORM A SINGLE LAYER ON THE BOTTOM, WHICH IS BEST FOR TEMPERATURE MAINTENANCE. LEAVE THEM SET FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 HOUR. 

REMOVE ONE AND GENTLY CRACK IT ONTO A PLATE TO MAKE SURE THE EGG WHITE IS OPAQUE AND NOT CLEAR AND THE YOLK IS SOFT POACHED. IF YOU DID IT RIGHT, PLACE THE REMAINING EGGS IN ICE WATER TO STOP THE COOKING OR USE THEM IMMEDIATELY FOR THINGS SUCH AS A GRILLED FRISEE SALAD TOPPER, EGGS BENEDICT, CARBONARA PASTA TOPPING, POACHED EGGS AND TOAST, RAMEN BOWL TOPPER OR ANY OTHER APPLICATION IN WHICH A SOFT BOILED EGG WOULD BE PREFERABLE. I HOPE THIS HAS PEAKED YOUR CURIOSITY AND YOUR EXPERIMENTATION JUICES ARE FLOWING. NOW GO PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD! 

-JON

EXECUTIVE CHEF

OLIVER ROYALE, KNOXVILLE