Processbeginnerdraft
Gentle cooking in liquid
Also searched as: poaching, simmering, gentle cooking
In short: Below boiling point, proteins cook gently and evenly. Bubbling water makes them tough and tears them apart.
Picture it
Like a warm bath instead of a jacuzzi.
Level 1 · Egg in water≈ 10 cm
Simplified model
Temperature thresholds40 °C
40 °C120 °C
- 70 °Cgentle: poaching fish and eggs
- 85 °Cgentle simmer
- 100 °Cbubbling: tough, tears apart
Below 70 °C none of this happens yet. From 70 °C: gentle: poaching fish and eggs.
Guide values
What happens
Water between about 70 and 85 °C cooks eggs and fish evenly without overcooking the edges. A rolling boil moves the pieces around, tears delicate protein and squeezes out fish.
Why it matters
Poached eggs, salmon, chicken breast and boiled beef turn out juicy when the water only shivers and does not boil.
Rules of thumb
- Only single bubbles should rise.
- Use fresh eggs for poached eggs.
Levers
Temperaturebelow boiling → more tender
Timelonger → firmer
Sources
- Harold McGee: On Food and Cooking (2004), Kapitel Gemüse, Eier