AuthorBen WatsonCategorySpring, SweetPoaching, as a method of cooking meat, is sadly out of vogue, largely because of the slightly gelatinous, ‘Spam-like’ texture you get in high-collagen cuts like ox tongue, pressed brisket (corned beef) and cotechino, saveloy or zampone type sausages. It’s a bit like Marmite, I love it but it doesn’t seem to do it for most of the UK population. In Europe, where they have a firmer hold on their culinary traditions, it’s still commonly paired with something sharp like salsa verde or mustard. Think bollito misto, cotechino and lentils, or Austrian Tafelspitz.
But with a carefully poached chicken you get perfectly cooked, moist meat suitable for all manner of dishes and, if you give it a blast in a hot oven before serving, it becomes a very superior cheat’s roast, with the added bonus of a saucepan of delicious broth for whatever’s on the menu the next day. Gentle poaching is also the perfect way to cook a slightly more mature organic bird which, it pains me to admit, can be a little dry.
The key is to keep the liquid at a steady simmer (90–95°C) and, if you’re going for the cheat’s roast, to give the skin plenty of time to dry off. I did mine on the sous-vide function in my Instant Pot multi-cooker, but a saucepan and thermometer will work just as well. A tight-fitting lid, so the breasts can steam, is a must. To be extra safe, make a cartouche out of baking parchment.
Prep your vegetables and place in an approx. 5l saucepan.
With a sharp knife, nick the chicken between thigh and breast to slightly loosen the leg. Add the chicken, wedging the back/leg end in so it’s at a slight angle. Add the herbs and peppercorns and enough water to cover the legs but leave most of the breast above the water line. Tightly lid and slowly bring to the simmer (90-95degC).
DO NOT LET IT BOIL!!!
Maintain simmer for about an hour until a meat probe registers at least 68degC between breast and leg and in the thickest part of the breast. It doesn’t matter if the leg meat gets a bit hotter.
Switch off and leave in the broth for twenty minutes.
Remove chicken, draining any liquid back into the saucepan. Marigolds are good for this but a combination of carving fork and serving spoon will also work.
Pat dry with kitchen paper and sprinkle a tsp of salt over the bird. Carefully rub in. Leave to dry - a hairdryer is a help if you’re in a hurry. Otherwise allow at least an hour.
Half an hour before serving, heat the oven to 200degC. Carefully smear the skin with butter, oil or mayonnaise and place on a trivet in a roasting tray. Roast for about 15 minutes until the skin is brown and crisp.
Rest, carve, eat and enjoy.
Separate any attached leftover skin and fatty bits and put the carcass and bones back in the saucepan. Simmer for another couple of hours and strain off the stock.