Poaching is the best cooking method for delicate foods. While is it common knowledge that cooking in any kind of oil or fat is both bad for the food and bad for your health, few people are aware that poaching food is superior to boiling. It is also one of the healthiest cooking styles out there, even surpassing boiling because you don’t lose any vitamins, minerals or other nutrients in the cooking water.
It requires small amounts of heat as you cook the ingredient in a gentle and gradual manner. Poaching requires patience. It will take some time to cook the ingredients and ensure that you are not squeezing out the moisture from them. If you want to enjoy healthier meals, below are five foods that you can poach.
1. Eggs: One of the most common foods that people poach is an egg. It might look easy to do but it requires some practice. The most important part of poaching an egg is to keep the water below a simmer. Allow small bubbles to form at the bottom without having them reach the top of the water.
2. Meat: Lean beef cuts are good for poaching. Keep in mind that poaching will not tenderize the meat. You should avoid using cuts that are tough, such as stew meat, brisket, or shoulder. Some ideal cuts include tenderloin and chops.
3. Chicken: Chicken breast is perfect for poaching. You don’t need to submerge the chicken fully in the water. You know the chicken is cooked when its internal temperature is 160 degrees. The most accurate way to know the internal temperature is with the use of a thermometer. Poaching will keep the chicken meat plump and moist, which will be good when you are going to cook it again for another recipe.
4. Fish: Poaching is an easy and fast way to cook fish. All you need is liquid, some herbs, lemon or lime, and a mix of celery, carrots, and onions. More often than not, people poach fish in a clear broth made from simmering vegetables and herbs with vinegar, white wine, or lemon juice.
5. Vegetables: Poaching vegetables is as simple as boiling them. The only difference is that you don’t bring the water to a boil. You just need to have enough water to cover the vegetables you are going to cook. Bring the water to a boil and then add the vegetables. Reduce the heat so that the bubbles become smaller. Cook the vegetables until they become tender and then plunge into ice water to instantly stop them from cooking any further.
Poaching food is not only healthy, it is an extremely simple cooking technique that any cook can master and only requires a saucepan with a lid, some water and a steamer basket.