Poached Chicken
Posted on February 6, 2011 in Food
I’ve been interested in the thermal energy transfer characteristics of cooking lately. Took 9″ stock pot, 3.5″ of water, brought to rolling boil. Ginger slices, some salt, some cooking wine added, heat shut off. 1lb 4oz split chicken breast (2 pieces) added, covered with burner off, but remaining on it.
35 minutes elapsed. Standing temperature of water, measured with RayTech MT4, was 160 degrees. Chicken interior temperature 140ish degrees, which means it isn’t cooked to death though not high enough temperature to kill salmonella. Ya take your chances for the sake of taste. Ate with a bit of soy sauce and sesame oil. Delicious.
Will derive energy estimates later.
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This recipe reminded me of when I first learned this method of cooking chicken, from The Campus Survival Cookbook #2, by Jacqueline Wood and Joelyn Scott Gilchrist. Got this cookbook in 1981, after seeing a Michigan U. electrical engineer teach himself how to cook and plan meals efficiently using their ingenious tutorial. Did the same – best thing I ever did for myself. Really helped me think outside my Betty Crocker box! I encountered chicken-poaching again this year, preparing the Georgian delicacy “satsivi”. There the chicken is boiled with winter root veggies, then fished out of the precious broth (NEVER throw out broth – it’s the start of soup, gravy..!) and roasted until the skin is like crispy duck. The broth is mixed with walnuts, garlic and spices to make yummy sauce (think Caucasian-style Thai peanut sauce!). Happy cooking!