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Poaching As A Method of Cooking

Poaching is a moist heat cooking method where food is surrounded by liquid below the boiling point to minimize moisture loss. The poaching liquid can be water or stock flavored with herbs and aromatics. Food is added to simmering liquid and cooked at a low temperature with careful monitoring to prevent overcooking. Poaching allows for tenderization and careful control of doneness while keeping food easy to digest. While some nutrients may leach into the liquid, poaching overall helps retain moisture and texture.

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401 views2 pages

Poaching As A Method of Cooking

Poaching is a moist heat cooking method where food is surrounded by liquid below the boiling point to minimize moisture loss. The poaching liquid can be water or stock flavored with herbs and aromatics. Food is added to simmering liquid and cooked at a low temperature with careful monitoring to prevent overcooking. Poaching allows for tenderization and careful control of doneness while keeping food easy to digest. While some nutrients may leach into the liquid, poaching overall helps retain moisture and texture.

Uploaded by

Josephine Edith
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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POACHING AS A METHOD OF COOKING

Poaching is a moist heat cooking method recommended for vegetables, fish,


chicken, eggs and fruits. The food is completely surrounded by liquid and cooked
on a low temperature below the boiling point to help minimize moisture loss.

The poaching liquid can be water, or water with flavoring agents such as fresh or
dried herbs, aromatics (garlic, ginger, lemon grass etc.) a little salt and pepper, or a
stock/broth (chicken, beef, vegetable, seafood/fish stock).

Steps of poaching
 When poaching vegetables, add 2-3 tablespoons of oil to the poaching
liquid. This helps to coat the vegetables with a thin film of oil to reduce
leaching of nutrients. Make sure there is enough liquid to cover the food.
 Bring the liquid to a boil then add the food.
 As soon as the food is added, turn the heat down to medium low or low.
Watch for slow or “lazy” bubbles to gently simmer the food. Leave the pot
uncovered so you can monitor the temperature easily (covering the pot will
raise the cooking temperature).
 The food gently cooks in the liquid at a low temperature. If the vegetables
roll around or bump into the pot then this causes further damage to the cell
walls and even greater leaching of nutrients into the liquid.

Advantages of poaching
 Food poached is easy to digest and safe to eat.
 Poaching allows for careful control of doneness, and minimizes the chances
of the food being overcooked.
 Poaching is suitable for easier tenderization of food and texture.

Disadvantages of Poaching
 Food can be scorched if water evaporates due to careless monitoring.
 Water soluble nutrients may be leached into the water as this method takes a
little longer than boiling method.
Remarks
A sauce can be added to the food item poached after it is plated. For vegetables,
drizzling a little sesame oil, or oyster sauce (or both) would suffice. Make sure you
do not slather the vegetables with the sauce. The sauce is meant to enhance the
Natural flavor of the food, not to overcome it.

Conclusion
Different cooking methods favor different types of food items. A food production
establishment should embrace all the different methods to enhance guest
experience in food.
Methods of cooking food are categorized into two:-the
 Dry heat cooking methods- those that utilize air or fat e.g: broiling, roasting,
grilling, baking, sautéing, pan-frying and deep-fat frying. Foods cooked
using this method has a rich flavor due to the caramelization and browning
of the foods.
 Moist heat cooking methods- uses water or steam e.g.: Simmering, Broiling,
Blanching, poaching.
 Combination cooking methods- those that incorporate both dry and moist-
heat cooking e.g: Braising and stewing.

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