We all love BBQ’s with lots of friends or just the family it always seems special.
But we all have at one time seen or heard of food that has been burnt on the outside and raw in the middle. And that is potentially lethal or at the very least inedible.
So I like to ‘Poach’ my chicken, sausages, ribs if big and some pork cuts basically any meat that has to have clear juices to be safe to eat.
Poaching also keeps the meat juicy and tender as it does not dry out meat like roasting can do. You can also serve more people quicker than ever before.
The poaching liquid should be full of flavour so it enhances what ever you put in it. A basic poaching liquid is water, some fresh herbs, onion, garlic cloves, bay leaf and black pepper corns and a pinch of sea salt. You can also add wine, carrot, celery, leek really anything you like the taste of.
To poach a whole chicken I like to flatten it out (butterfly) by cutting out the backbone with some kitchen scissors removing the wishbone and pushing it flat. Then I poach it in a large pan you can also do this in halves or quarters if you don’t have a big enough pan. Bring your poaching liquid just to the boil and reduce the heat till the bubbles are gently winking at you then cook for 20 mins or less for smaller pieces. But please make sure that it doesn’t boil!
Whole chicken butterflied ready to poach
Poached butterfly chicken
Bring your poaching liquid just to the boil and reduce the heat till the bubbles are gently winking at you then cook for 20 mins or less for smaller pieces.
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