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Sheldon
 
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Default poaching chicken


Dave W. wrote:
>
> So when you poach in broth, I take it you only do it long enough to cook
> the chicken. How long might that be? Or, how do you know how long to
> simmer the chicken?
>
> I ask cause it seems to me that if you simmered the chicken long enough
> it would lose most of its flavor ... like chicken does when I make
> broth. Or maybe this isn't an issue since you are using a relatively
> small amount of water?
>
> I remain, confused as ever,
> Dave W.


Simmering is not poaching, it's simmering.

Even if chicken is properly poached (correct temperature) the chicken
has to be giving up its flavor, the chicken gives to the liquid but the
liquid gives essentially nothing to the chicken. If you wanted you
could steam chicken with a court boullion like fish is cooked... but
what is called a fish poacher is really a fish steamer, because a rack
is used and no part of the fish should be submerged in the liquid, the
liquid is flavored only to lightly perfume the fish, really adds little
to the fish, in fact takes more than it adds.

Proper poaching results in very tender chicken, that is the entire
purpose of poaching chicken... if simmered the chicken will toughen.

See my post way earlier in this thread to learn how to properly poach
chicken, without the chicken giving up anything, and where the chicken
is at the same time flavored with it's own seasonings.... it's
essentially whereby a terrine is poached, only the plastic film
substitutes for the terrine mold. In fact if you had more chicken you
could build a fabulous terrine of chicken aspic.

You're either making poached chicken or you're making chicken stock,
you can't have it both ways... not with the same chicken.

The method I described results in very flavorful tender chicken, pretty
much the same method used for preparing kreplach/wontons, but the
plastic film is like removeable noodle dough. Personally I would grind
up those blah chunks of chicken, season well, and stuff a package of
wonton wrappers... I think plain old poached chicken on its own is
pretty boring eating.. needs some sort of very rich cream sauce.

Sheldon