by Jared Garrett

Created on: April 05, 2007   Last Updated: February 04, 2012

Have you ever noticed how some foods fall apart when you try to cook them? Did you ever try poaching those foods? The truth is, poaching is a nifty option for very tender foods and for cooking something very fast. So let's explore why some foods can benefit from being poached and then how to do this rather difficult process.

WHY POACH?
Sometimes you have a food that does not do well when you move it during cooking. Other times you have a very tender food, like fresh fish, that you are worried about overcooking. Poaching can do the trick! Also, poaching can actually maintain the the flavor and nutrients of the food, which is beneficial for your health and your palate!

HOW TO POACH
Poaching basically means that a food is cooked by covering it either all the way or almost all the way in liquid that is just about boiling. It is important to note that the liquid does not reach the boiling state. So there are actually two types of poaching: Deep and Shallow.

To deep poach, you will be working only on the stove. You will need a nice, deep saucepan, or if the food you will cook is not tall, you can use a large, deep frying pan. Prepare the food to be poached and set it aside while you prepare the poaching liquid. You can take this opportunity to make a flavorful liquid with spices, sauces and other things. Prepare the cooking liquid in the pan, heating it to just under boiling. Next, very gently place the food in the hot liquid. Keep the temperature constant and you can also put a lid on the pan. The lid will help maintain a constant temp. Be sure to know beforehand how long the specific food you are preparing needs to poach. When the time is up, you can drain the liquid and serve the food gently on a serving dish.

Shallow poaching is very similar, but you will be transferring the food to the oven at a certain point. So first get the oven heated up to about 200 degrees. Next, you get your liquid just under boiling and place the food in the liquid. The liquid should be about 2/3 or 3/4 of the way up the side of the food. Cover the pan and set it in your hot oven. Watch the time so the food does not get overcooked.

Voila! After some practice, you will be able to poach with the best of them! To date, I have had success with salmon, halibut and chicken - and if I can do it, so can you.

Learn more about this author, Jared Garrett.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.