Poach a whole bird
Gentle poaching is a classic way of cooking any kind of bird like chicken, duck, goose or even turkey. It leaves the meat tender and juicy. Poaching not only brings a pleasing taste but also produces a delicious broth. The poaching time depends on the weight of the bird. Trussing the bird before poaching ensures it retains the shape of the bird during poaching over a gentle heat on top of the stove. A whole bird poached in flavorsome broth can be one of the most delicate dishes you will ever experience. You can also poach bird’s breast or thighs, with or without stuffing.
Personally I prefer to poach with stuffing as the meat will absorb all the flavors of the stuffing, bringing a wonderful lift to the taste. From all the birds which are been used for cooking, chicken is the bird most preferred bird among all of us. So I have to say that poached chicken meat is perfect for pie fillings as well for sandwiches. Here is a fuss free method on how to poach a whole bird.
Method :
- Truss the whole bird, including the neck if you like, and place in a large pan. Pour over enough cold water to just cover the bird. Bring the water slowly to the boil over a medium heat.
- Skim the surface of the bird with a slotted spoon, lower the heat and add sliced carrots, onions and a bouquet garnish. If you wish you could add some more varieties of herbs or maybe garlic and chillies. Poach, partially covered, for the calculated cooking time which is allowing 20 minutes per 450 grams.
- When the bird gets tender, remove from the poaching liquid and drain as much liquid as possible over the pan. Remove the trussing string and cut the chicken into pieces. If you wish you could discard the poached liquid but I recommend to use the poaching liquid as a basic chicken stock or else you could reduce the heat and thicken the liquid to make a tasty chicken sauce.
32 Responses to “Poach a whole bird”
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doggybloggy | September 6, 2009 at 11:37 pm |
nice and subtle – the flavor of this is so perfect I am sure!
Sophie | September 7, 2009 at 10:58 am |
I love poaching! It brings out the best of chicken or fish!
Thanks for this lovely info!
Amy - very culinary | September 7, 2009 at 1:14 pm |
Oh yes, any kind of slow cooking always brings out the flavor of the meat. This is a great alternative to using a crock pot. Great info/tips.
Erica | September 7, 2009 at 2:11 pm |
Hi Nora,
I learned a lot from your blog!!! Thank you.
Angie's Recipes | September 7, 2009 at 2:39 pm |
I like to use poached chicken in a salad, it’s succulent and healthy.
Angie’s Recipes
Faith | September 7, 2009 at 3:48 pm |
I can imagine how tender and juicy a bird cooked like this would be, and I bet the poaching liquid is a fantastic chicken stock! This sounds like the perfect meal on a crisp fall evening!
Rosa | September 7, 2009 at 7:21 pm |
I’ve never poached any bird… A healthy method!
Cheers,
Rosa
Cynthia | September 7, 2009 at 10:58 pm |
I love to poach chickens.
Reeni | September 8, 2009 at 1:06 am |
I’ve never poached a whole chicken! I bet it’s wonderful and very delicious!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella | September 8, 2009 at 8:07 am |
This is new fo me! I’ve eaten a whole poached chicken at a Korean restaurant and it was delicious!
Blond Duck | September 8, 2009 at 4:50 pm |
I think I’d be too scared to try!
Natasha - 5 Star Foodie | September 8, 2009 at 5:21 pm |
I’ve poached fish like salmon but never a whole chicken or other bird. Sounds like a great and delicious method, thanks for the recipe!
nora | September 8, 2009 at 6:00 pm |
thanx a lot my friends!
and blondie its nothing to be scared of. a very easy and healthy way of cooking without any fuss. just giv it a try and let me know how it turned out:)
Pigpigscorner | September 10, 2009 at 2:16 pm |
Love this technique, it produces such moist, tender and flavourful meat.
Rosa | September 10, 2009 at 5:09 pm |
Have an enjoyable end of week!
Cheers,
Rosa
Gera @ SweetsFoods | September 11, 2009 at 3:38 pm |
Never tried to poach a bird….interesting and healthy way to prepare it.
Thanks for sharing!
Cheers,
Gera
Blond Duck | September 14, 2009 at 6:08 pm |
I hope you had a good weekend!
theungourmet | September 14, 2009 at 6:46 pm |
I’ve never tried poaching. I’ll have to give it a shot! :0)
Rosa | September 14, 2009 at 9:25 pm |
Have a good day tomorrow!
Cheers,
Rosa
Joanne | September 15, 2009 at 11:17 am |
I have never poached chicken because I am always scared that it will lose it’s flavor and come out dry. I will have to try your method of doing it!
Blond Duck | September 15, 2009 at 5:56 pm |
Baylor is blushing. And there’s a new Halloween story tommorow!
Candy | September 16, 2009 at 2:50 pm |
Thank you for the tips Nora! Poaching is very underrated but doing it gives you so many options of how to use the chicken afterwards too. Great post
girlichef | September 17, 2009 at 11:53 pm |
Beautiful! A gorgeous poached bird for any occasion
donna | September 18, 2009 at 2:41 am |
What a fantastic tutorial on poaching. Fantastic post!!
Blond Duck | September 18, 2009 at 10:57 am |
Have a good weekend!
Jessica@FoodMayhem | September 20, 2009 at 3:49 pm |
I love poached chicken and duck, especially when I’m feeling like a lighter meal.
Blond Duck | September 22, 2009 at 8:17 pm |
I saw your new potato recipe–looks great!
Blond Duck | September 23, 2009 at 5:26 pm |
Do you have any healthy snacks for picky eaters?
Blond Duck | September 28, 2009 at 9:21 pm |
Isn’t Lorraine lovely?
Blond Duck | October 1, 2009 at 5:29 pm |
It is a never ending story!
Blond Duck | October 5, 2009 at 8:52 pm |
Tacos are always tasty!
elra | October 27, 2009 at 9:47 pm |
I honestly never poach any kind of bird before. Maybe I should try, huh?