Can they be safely cooked by bringing to a boil, covering and removing to a back burner for an hour or so. I guess this is called poaching. If simmering is required, what would be the minimum time. I don't want to over cook but also don't want to die from food poisoning. So, is bringing to a boil, covering, and turning off the heat enough, or should it be simmered for a time. This is for bone In breasts with the skin still on. I don't care about flavor as I intend to use the meat for cold salads, adding flavors later. Simplicity. Thanks.

On 3/2/2018 7:48 PM, wrote:
> Can they be safely cooked by bringing to a boil, covering and removing to a back burner for an hour or so. I guess this is called poaching. If simmering is required, what would be the minimum time. I don't want to over cook but also don't want to die from food poisoning. So, is bringing to a boil, covering, and turning off the heat enough, or should it be simmered for a time. This is for bone In breasts with the skin still on. I don't care about flavor as I intend to use the meat for cold salads, adding flavors later. Simplicity. Thanks.
>


As long as the meat reaches 169 you are good. Should not take more than
a few minutes once it gets to boil and let it sit in the pot.

On Friday, March 2, 2018 at 9:27:42 PM UTC-5, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On 3/2/2018 7:48 PM, wrote:
> > Can they be safely cooked by bringing to a boil, covering and removing to a back burner for an hour or so. I guess this is called poaching. If simmering is required, what would be the minimum time. I don't want to over cook but also don't want to die from food poisoning. So, is bringing to a boil, covering, and turning off the heat enough, or should it be simmered for a time. This is for bone In breasts with the skin still on. I don't care about flavor as I intend to use the meat for cold salads, adding flavors later. Simplicity. Thanks.
> >

> As long as the meat reaches 169 you are good. Should not take more than
> a few minutes once it gets to boil and let it sit in the pot.


Thanks to all, as usual, and a special note of thanks to Ed Pawlowski who I tend to believe took note of the use of the word 'simplicity' in my post.

I am not a cook and don't pretend to be. I prep food. I eat the same thing 6 days in a row, usually getting 7 meals out of it. I do not typically spice or flavor my foods until after they are cooked. I am aware that over boiling chicken, or as some here believe, boiling chicken period, can make it mushy or watery. But it's a simple way to cook and I don't like the stove in this furnished apartment, it's very inconsistent. I baked a potato one day, took an hour, another time a week early two hours, the same size and weight. I am not much of an oven person although I love oven stuff cooked by other people.

I merely want to make the chicken (which I have done many times, and it's never as good as oven cooked, but sometimes is good enough), to use in cold salads.

For example, cut up a few slices of poached chicken cold and put on a plate along with cut up oranges and maybe some poached brocoli flowerets. Then in a small bowl I cut up one clove of garlic and mash it with the tines of a fork till it's almost a puree, toss in some yogurt and blend with a bit of cold water and add some dried mint and stir. Toss some cucumbers into the mix. Then pour the mix over the whole plate with the chicken and fruits and veggies. Also some olives around the edges and some sliced avocado with a hunk of toasted flat bread. I add salt and pepper and maybe some cayenne.

Ed, one more thing - sorry for going on with it - but I don't have a thermometer, but may get one tomorrow at a nearby store. My question is this: Should the water be brought to a boil first, then the chicken slid in - or should the chicken be put into cold water first and brought to a boil? I always used the second version but have seen the first version mentioned in posts I've googled using 'poached chicken'. Which do you think is best, and if it's not too much trouble, why? I would assume put into already boiling water the chicken spends less time in the water. Just a guess.

Also, I wrote that post from a smart phone with a small keyboard. It was a chore and was not well written. Sorry. I hate the smart phone, I use it only for making calls, but had nothing better to do, lying in bed for days on end, and thought I'd use it to post my question. I'm on a real computer now. Thanks again - to all.

TJ

On 3/4/2018 7:14 PM, wrote:

>
> Ed, one more thing - sorry for going on with it - but I don't have a thermometer, but may get one tomorrow at a nearby store. My question is this: Should the water be brought to a boil first, then the chicken slid in - or should the chicken be put into cold water first and brought to a boil? I always used the second version but have seen the first version mentioned in posts I've googled using 'poached chicken'. Which do you think is best, and if it's not too much trouble, why? I would assume put into already boiling water the chicken spends less time in the water. Just a guess.

I really don't know. Making chicken soup it goes in from the start and
heat up with the water. Either way should give you a cooked bird though.

In article >,
says...
>
> Can they be safely cooked by bringing to a boil, covering and removing to a back burner for an hour or so. I guess this is called poaching.
If simmering is required, what would be the minimum time. I don't
want to over cook but also don't want to die from food poisoning. So,
is bringing to a boil, covering, and turning off the heat enough,

No


> or should it be simmered for a time.

Yes.


> This is for bone In breasts with the skin still on. I don't care
>about flavor as I intend to use the meat for cold salads, adding
>flavors later. Simplicity. Thanks.

I would include onion, celery, carrots, S,P and mixed herbs in the
stock you simmer it in, and a dash of white wine, otherwise the meat
will be absolutely tasteless.

Janet UK

Janet wrote:
>
> I would include onion, celery, carrots, S,P and mixed herbs in the
> stock you simmer it in, and a dash of white wine, otherwise the meat
> will be absolutely tasteless.

The meat will still be tasteless. The chicken flavor will go into
the water/stock along with all the other flavors that you added
to this water. Meat is rendered basically worthless for taste
but still good for the chew/texture factor.

Refute that claim? try making a very basic chicken sandwich using
that worthless boiled meat and only mayo on white bread. You get
the texture of the meat but the sandwich will only taste of mayo
and bread. Not worth making those sandwiches. Only good use for
the chicken is to add back into soup that uses the broth you made
from it.

On 2018-03-03 6:56 AM, Gary wrote:
> Janet wrote:
>>
>> I would include onion, celery, carrots, S,P and mixed herbs in the
>> stock you simmer it in, and a dash of white wine, otherwise the meat
>> will be absolutely tasteless.
>
> The meat will still be tasteless. The chicken flavor will go into
> the water/stock along with all the other flavors that you added
> to this water. Meat is rendered basically worthless for taste
> but still good for the chew/texture factor.
>
Hmmm! Poule au Pot has been cooked in France for centuries and Janet's
advice pretty well duplicates the method.

On 2018-03-03 5:15 AM, Janet wrote:
> In article >,
> says...
>>
>> Can they be safely cooked by bringing to a boil, covering and removing to a back burner for an hour or so. I guess this is called poaching.
> If simmering is required, what would be the minimum time. I don't
> want to over cook but also don't want to die from food poisoning. So,
> is bringing to a boil, covering, and turning off the heat enough,
>
> No
>
>
>> or should it be simmered for a time.
>
> Yes.
>
>
>> This is for bone In breasts with the skin still on. I don't care
>> about flavor as I intend to use the meat for cold salads, adding
> >flavors later. Simplicity. Thanks.
>
> I would include onion, celery, carrots, S,P and mixed herbs in the
> stock you simmer it in, and a dash of white wine, otherwise the meat
> will be absolutely tasteless.
>
> Janet UK
>
>
I poach them in chicken stock with a glug of Noilly Prat and a few
sprigs of tarragon. When done, I remove the chicken and reduce the stock
and then add a bit of cream before adding back the chicken.

graham wrote:
>
> On 2018-03-03 5:15 AM, Janet wrote:
> > In article >,
> > says...
> >>
> >> Can they be safely cooked by bringing to a boil, covering and removing to a back burner for an hour or so. I guess this is called poaching.
> > If simmering is required, what would be the minimum time. I don't
> > want to over cook but also don't want to die from food poisoning. So,
> > is bringing to a boil, covering, and turning off the heat enough,
> >
> > No
> >
> >
> >> or should it be simmered for a time.
> >
> > Yes.
> >
> >
> >> This is for bone In breasts with the skin still on. I don't care
> >> about flavor as I intend to use the meat for cold salads, adding
> > >flavors later. Simplicity. Thanks.
> >
> > I would include onion, celery, carrots, S,P and mixed herbs in the
> > stock you simmer it in, and a dash of white wine, otherwise the meat
> > will be absolutely tasteless.
> >
> > Janet UK
> >
> >
> I poach them in chicken stock with a glug of Noilly Prat and a few
> sprigs of tarragon. When done, I remove the chicken and reduce the stock
> and then add a bit of cream before adding back the chicken.

Adding the chicken back to reduced and flavors added stock makes
all the difference. Simmering chicken in plain water to cook is
different. Cooked chicken will be flavorless.

On Saturday, March 3, 2018 at 2:15:33 AM UTC-10, Janet wrote:
>
> I would include onion, celery, carrots, S,P and mixed herbs in the
> stock you simmer it in, and a dash of white wine, otherwise the meat
> will be absolutely tasteless.
>
> Janet UK

The Chinese will boil a chicken in two ways. One is an intense sauce of light and dark soy sauce, ginger, sugar, garlic, and star anise. The boiling liquid can be kept and reused to cook more chicken. Sometimes the sauce is reused for decades.

The second way is to do the exact opposite - boil the chicken in plain old water. The chicken is rendered mostly flavorless. A simple sauce, made from oil, green onion, ginger, and salt, is poured over the chicken. It is a great and wonderful dish.

https://www.foodland.com/recipe/cold-ginger-chicken

wrote:
>
> Can they be safely cooked by bringing to a boil, covering and removing to a back burner for an hour or so. I guess this is called poaching. If simmering is required, what would be the minimum time. I don't want to over cook but also don't want to die from food poisoning. So, is bringing to a boil, covering, and turning off the heat enough, or should it be simmered for a time. This is for bone In breasts with the skin still on. I don't care about flavor as I intend to use the meat for cold salads, adding flavors later. Simplicity. Thanks.

Howzitgoin there, old pal

Don't do that, dude. Since you have a stovetop, just slowly cook
in minimal oil until done. Don't use water as that will leach all
the nice chicken flavor out of your meat. If you do use
water/poaching, at least save the water for other uses....all the
nice chicken flavor has been transferred to that water.

Tiniest bit of oil...very low heat...flip it over once or twice
as you check for doneness. This will give you very flavorful
chicken breast instead of watery chicken breast meat.

IMO, fresh chicken and water should never meet unless you are
making a broth or stock. Chicken meat is basically tasteless
after cooking in water.

BTW...don't you live in NC? If so...do you have Farm Fresh
grocery stores there? I think you do. Heads up - chicken quarters
on sale this week for only $0.69lb. Doesn't get any cheaper than
that for chicken. I got me some and plan to cook some today.

On Saturday, March 3, 2018 at 8:23:12 AM UTC-5, Gary wrote:
> wrote:
> >
> > Can they be safely cooked by bringing to a boil, covering and removing to a back burner for an hour or so. I guess this is called poaching. If simmering is required, what would be the minimum time. I don't want to over cook but also don't want to die from food poisoning. So, is bringing to a boil, covering, and turning off the heat enough, or should it be simmered for a time. This is for bone In breasts with the skin still on. I don't care about flavor as I intend to use the meat for cold salads, adding flavors later. Simplicity. Thanks.
>
> Howzitgoin there, old pal
>
> Don't do that, dude. Since you have a stovetop, just slowly cook
> in minimal oil until done. Don't use water as that will leach all
> the nice chicken flavor out of your meat. If you do use
> water/poaching, at least save the water for other uses....all the
> nice chicken flavor has been transferred to that water.

If chicken breasts are properly poached, they don't spend that much
time in the water and they still have plenty of flavor left. A
20-minute poach is nothing like a long simmer for making stock.

Cindy Hamilton

On Saturday, March 3, 2018 at 8:23:12 AM UTC-5, Gary wrote:
> wrote:
> >
> > Can they be safely cooked by bringing to a boil, covering and removing to a back burner for an hour or so. I guess this is called poaching. If simmering is required, what would be the minimum time. I don't want to over cook but also don't want to die from food poisoning. So, is bringing to a boil, covering, and turning off the heat enough, or should it be simmered for a time. This is for bone In breasts with the skin still on. I don't care about flavor as I intend to use the meat for cold salads, adding flavors later. Simplicity. Thanks.
>
> Howzitgoin there, old pal
>
> Don't do that, dude. Since you have a stovetop, just slowly cook
> in minimal oil until done. Don't use water as that will leach all
> the nice chicken flavor out of your meat. If you do use
> water/poaching, at least save the water for other uses....all the
> nice chicken flavor has been transferred to that water.
>
> Tiniest bit of oil...very low heat...flip it over once or twice
> as you check for doneness. This will give you very flavorful
> chicken breast instead of watery chicken breast meat.
>
> IMO, fresh chicken and water should never meet unless you are
> making a broth or stock. Chicken meat is basically tasteless
> after cooking in water.
>
> BTW...don't you live in NC? If so...do you have Farm Fresh
> grocery stores there? I think you do. Heads up - chicken quarters
> on sale this week for only $0.69lb. Doesn't get any cheaper than
> that for chicken. I got me some and plan to cook some today.



Thanks for the kind words, Gary. Nice talking with you. Feel like crap, just laid in bed for 8 days or so. No sick. Well, maybe a bit mentally. Lots of dreams, escaping reality for a bit, that's all. I know boiled chicken is basically tasteless, but when I get done with it it's alright. I don't spice and flavor as I cook. I just make stuff, mostly separately, then toss together.

For example, tomorrow I am going to make some beans. By themselves in a pot. The light kidney variety.

I will bake 2 or 3 large potatoes.

Then, in a large fry pan I will saute for 6 to 8 minutes one chopped onion, one green pepper, one jalapeno, and a box or two of shrooms, self sliced.

After that is done I add to the mix about two previously chopped up bunches of parsley along with a one pound can of roma tomatoes without much of the juice. The tomatoes will be cut into smaller pieces. Also in the parsley mix I will have 6 cloves of garlic, half slices, the other half mashed and pureed between the tines of a fork.

As you can see I do not cook with love. I cook with efficiency. This bean dish will be eaten 6 days in a row. The taters will be baked but cut in half length wise first and buttered with the clarified type, then put back together for an hour or more. Everything is put in the fridge and trotted out each day and slung together and then microwaved. It's easy, it's efficient, and it tastes good. Few would guess everything was made separately. Thanks for your comments. I know you're trying to be helpful as are all here, but I really don't care if the chicken is bland as I will spice it up my own way afterwards. Adios for now, DUDE..................

TJ