Week 6 will teach you everything you need to know about poultry!

When in doubt about what to serve for dinner, there is always chicken. Many special occasions are enhanced by a nice, juicy turkey on the table. Poultry is a staple food in many homes throughout the country, but if not cooked properly harmful bacteria can make you sick. Cook poultry safely and eat without worrying about illness.

Here are some good tips!

Choose poultry at the supermarket with a Grade A symbol on the package in order to get the highest quality product. All poultry sold in the United States is inspected, but Grade A poultry is guaranteed to be plump, meaty and free from any bodily bruises, cuts or broken bones.

Step 2

Put poultry in the refrigerator or freezer as soon as you bring it home from the store. Bacteria often lives on raw poultry and multiplies quickly at temperatures above 40 degrees F.

Step 3

Cook poultry until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F. A 4-oz. boneless breast will take about 25 minutes in a 350 degree F oven.

Step 4

Check the internal temperature of cooking poultry with a food thermometer before serving. Make sure to put the thermometer right into the center of the thigh or into the thickest part of the breast.

Step 5

Serve leftovers within 3 to 4 days of cooking. Leftover poultry must be stored in a refrigerator and reheated to 165 degrees F when serving.

Julia Child paved the way for teaching people to cook like the french with chicken. Poultry is a large part of french cookery too.

Cooking Chicken, the French Way

Lets take a look at how chicken is cooked in french techniques.

Poaching (pocher)

When chicken recipes call for poaching, you’re sure to end up with a wonderful moist bird. Chicken that might be a bit tough or dry benefits greatly from poaching. Poaching is also an excellent trick for those maintaining a healthy diet, because it adds no fat to the dish.

To poach chicken, simply simmer it in water until thoroughly cooked. Instead of plain water (which adds no flavor), you may also use water with added vegetables, milk (including milk with added herbs), wine, beer, stock, tomato juice, or vermouth.

Do not overcook or boil the chicken, because this makes the poultry tough and chewy.

French-Frying (frire à la friteuse)

Chicken that’s cooked in a deep pan of fat or oil is called “French-fried.” Peanut oil mixed with a couple of drops of olive oil is an excellent choice for chicken recipes using this method, but often vegetable oil is used.

Uncoated chicken should be fried at 350° until it just begins to brown. Allow it to cool, then fry again at about 390°. This makes the chicken crisp and golden brown. Coated chicken should only be fried once, at 390°.

Braising (braiser)

Braised chicken is cooked in red or white wine or stock made from meat, poultry, or vegetables. This French cooking method is an excellent way to soften tough poultry.

To the liquid, you may add such things as carrots, tomatoes, celery, onions, garlic, mushrooms, shallots, parsley…virtually any vegetable you like. The leftover liquid may then be reduced and made into a tasty sauce.

Baking/Roasting (faire cuire au four/rôtir)

Both these methods use dry heat to cook the chicken. The oven must be preheated to 450°. After placing the chicken in the oven, lower the heat gradually, according to the cooking recipe. This ensures the chicken doesn’t dry out. When roasting, don’t cover the chicken; instead, baste it with oil or butter throughout the cooking time.

Broiling/Grilling (faire rôtir/ faire griller)

Chicken that is either broiler or grilled is first covered with oil, then placed in a pre-heated oven or on a hot grill to cook. To avoid overcooking, larger pieces of chicken should be placed further away from the heat.

Sautéing (faire sauter)

Thin cuts of chicken (such as chicken breasts) are suitable for sautéing. Sautéd chicken is cooked in barely enough oil or fat to prevent it from sticking to the pan. Both the pan and the oil should be preheated.

To add extra flavor (and a side dish for the poultry) you may first add herbs, chopped or minced garlic, small pieces of onion, and other vegetables to the pan. Soften these, then add the chicken.

Quiz:

Name 3 methods of cooking Chicken, the french way?

What temp should chicken be cooked to?

How long can you store leftovers in the refrigerator?

Assignment:

Please submit a simple chicken recipe that you like to cook! All recipes will be published on the site. Tell me why you like the recipe too!

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