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 Post subject: Poaching a whole chicken
PostPosted: Sat May 18, 2013 8:10 pm 
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Okay, so I'm going to make Drunken Chicken and the first step is to poach a whole chicken. The recipe has me placing a whole chicken in water or broth to cover, bringing it to a simmer, simmering for 15 minutes, and letting the whole kit and caboodle cool at room temperature for 3 hours. There is no further cooking, just cutting up the chicken and submerging it in booze for a couple of days. The recipe assures me that the chicken will be very tender, which I don't doubt, but I'd rather not serve chicken with a side of botullism. Will shaoxing wine (or more likely, dry sherry) eliminate the threat? It doesn't seem like it should. It may keep the boogers from growing any further, but they would have 3 hours to wreak whatever havoc they wanted. If I poach longer and quickly cool the chicken, how long should I poach? I do plan to spatchcock the chicken, if that makes any difference.


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 Post subject: Re: Poaching a whole chicken
PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2013 5:26 am 
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Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2009 5:03 pm
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Well, given that botulism only grows in an anaerobic environment, you will be safe from that problem. But other toxins could come into play, so- sanitation regulations give a four hour window for foods to be in the temperature range of 40F-140F. You will have the chicken in hot liquid for a while, then it will be cooling as it rests. If you let it rest on the counter for 2 hours, then put the whole pot in the fridge you should be fine.
CI has allowed that letting hot foods cool on the counter for a while before actively chilling them is ok. And it's much easier on your fridge.
Remember, people lived without the level of refrigeration now available for a long time.


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 Post subject: Re: Poaching a whole chicken
PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2013 10:07 am 
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Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:52 am
Posts: 1140
Location: Kansas City
The Frugal Gourmet had a recipe that called for poached chicken cooked exactly in the manner you mentioned. I don't remember the recipe now, but I made it many times and never had any problems with it. It gives you a lovely poached chicken. It makes a nice chicken salad, too.

fitzie


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 Post subject: Re: Poaching a whole chicken
PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2013 2:15 pm 
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Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2008 7:58 pm
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This discusion reminded me of a method for poaching chicken (or pork)that I learned in The Key To Chinese Cooking, called "white cut", in which the chicken is simmered 25 min, then it sits in the covered pot for 45 min. longer off the heat. Then, what makes this special, the chicken is plunged into a large bowl of ice water (mostly ice), which cools it very fast, and gels the juices that normally seep out of the meat, keeping it very juicy.

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Dave


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 Post subject: Re: Poaching a whole chicken
PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2013 10:06 pm 
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Alrighty, I'll do the three-hour tour, uh poach. Thanks!


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