POACHING

POACHING

Definition

Poaching is the cooking of foods in the required amount of liquid at just below boiling point.

Purpose

The purpose of poaching food so that it is:

# Easy to digest

# A suitable tender texture

# Safe and pleasant to eat because , where appropriate, an agreeable sauce is made with the cooking liquid.

Methods

There two ways of poaching : shallow and deep.

# Shallow poaching: foods to be cooked by this method, such as cuts of fish and chicken, are cooked in the minimum of liquid, that is, water, stock, milk or wine. The liquid should never be allowed to boil but kept at a temperature as near to boiling point as possible.

Effects of poaching

Poaching helps to tenderise the fibrous structure of the food, and the raw texture of the food becomes edible by chemical action

Temperature and time control

# Temperature must be controlled so that the cooking liquor does not fall bellow, or exceed, the correct degree required:

1, Shallow poaching is just below simmering point.

2. Deep poaching is just below gentle simmering

# Time is important so that the food is neither undercooked, when it will break up and also lose nutritive value

# The various types and qualities of food will affect both time and temperature, needed to achieve successful poaching.

Safety

# Select suitable sized pans to prevent spillage and possible scalding.

# Move tray, etc. carefully on and off the stove, or from the oven, as tilting or jarring may cause spillage.

#Carefully place food in the pan when adding to simmering liquid

# When a hot container is removed from the oven, sprinkle with a little flour to warn that it is hot