poaching
a
chicken
two versions
The days when a chicken dish came flying back into the kitchen because the diner deemed it raw, even though it was perfectly cooked, has, in the main, thankfully passed. The following recipes are two slightly different versions. The first is quite old, with a couple of very slight changes and was pre-induction cooking days and the second induction only. The first makes an excellent cold chicken that can be taken in just about any direction and we have included a chicken asparagus mayonnaise and cos salad that can transcribe to just about any season when you substitute the asparagus.
The second delivers a very silken fleshed chicken that is slightly less cooked and can only easily be made with induction where the heat is so controllable. It is also fantastic for those recipes where you want to warm the chicken in a hot sauce. Like for instance Chicken Cacciatore or Chicken Avgolemono or any other kind of hot sauce from just about any cuisine.
Aromatics depend on the cuisine you are working with. For Thai I use lemon grass, a couple of star anise, whole white pepper, a few slices of ginger and galangal, spring onion, kaffir lime leaves, a chopped kaffir lime [if available], coriander roots if I have them, half a cup of red vinegar, half a cup of Megachef fish or anchovy sauce. For a Sichuan touch I’d swap the white pepper for Sichuan pepper, skip the galangal, spring onion and star anise and add a few cloves of garlic, a couple of onions and 2-3 chillies or a decent spoonful of Lao Gan Ma [without peanuts], half a cup of black vinegar, half a cup of light Chinese soy sauce. Going Greek white pepper, celery, carrots, potatoes, white peppercorns, onion, parsley, half a cup of white wine vinegar. Going Italian black peppercorns, onion, carrot, bay leaf, garlic, olive juice if you have it is an excellent touch, a handful of parsley and celery leaves, half a cup of white wine vinegar a few chopped ripe tomatoes if you have them.
So, aromatics are not included in the following recipes…we use an 8L enamel saucepan with a lid and we have a small 180 mm stainless steel cake rack
AO 24 January 2023
version
one
traditional
gas
cooking
1 large free-range or organic chicken approximately 2.1-2.3 kg [1]
Aromatics according to your end dish
Cold water
Taking the chicken straight from the fridge, wash the chicken under cold running water and pat it dry with a clean cloth or paper towel. Put the rack in the bottom of the saucepan and place the chicken breast side up on the rack. Add your aromatics and then cover the chicken by 15 cm with cold water. Cover with a lid and place on medium heat.
Set a timer for one hour….never allow the chicken to come to more than a gentle simmer. It should be close to the simmer. Turn the heat down to the lowest possible point and cook the chicken for another two hours. Remove the pot from the heat, stand it on a rack and allow to cool in the stock for about three hours or until cool enough that you can manage the chicken with your hands in food service gloves.
Slide off the skin and the meat should easily pull from the bones. Chill and use as required.
version
two
induction
cooking
1 large free-range or organic chicken approximately 2.1-2.3 kg [1]
Aromatics according to your end dish
Cold water
Taking the chicken straight from the fridge, wash the chicken under cold running water and pat it dry with a clean cloth or paper towel. Put the rack in the bottom of the saucepan and place the chicken breast side up on the rack. Add your aromatics and then cover the chicken by 15 cm with cold water. Cover with a lid and place on induction temperature two.
Never allow the chicken to come to an actual simmer. Set a timer for four hours. When the time goes turn off the heat and allow the chicken to cool overnight.
Slide off the skin and the meat should easily pull from the bones. Chill until you are ready to use.
[1] We like the Greenslades free-range chickens…the bigger the better. Vegas Poultry Adelaide Central market get them in fresh regularly every Tuesday, sometimes twice a week. They get three sizes we prefer the big ones 2.1 – 2.3 kg and this recip is based on a large chook. Good idea to order use the link for details.
simply
delicious
Now you’ve poached a chicken try this delicious summer recipe click on the image.