Denise~* wrote:
>
> Another one that says "Place whole chicken in stock pot and cover
> with cold water. Add the seasonings and vegetables and bring to a
> boil. Lower to a simmer and cook 30 minutes"
>
> My original recipe says to boil stock & then add the chicken
>
> Start with warm, hot or cold stock?
> Steep, or not to steep?

Boiling liquid first with seasonings and vegetables will extract
maximum flavor from them into the liquid. That flavoring is very
delicate anyway, isn't it? If you skip that step couldn't you just
increase the flavoring elements?

Starting the chicken in cold liquid will maximize the evenness of its
cooking. Avoids the outside overcooking before the inside is done.
This is what I always do.

The steeping works really well. A bare simmer for 15-20 minutes,
followed by an hour covered with no heat, will thoroughly cook, but not
overcook, a 4-4.5 lb. chicken. If instead you simmer it until cooked
it's much harder to stop at exactly the point just before it begins to
overcook.

I've never cut the chicken up before poaching. Not sure what that
would do. -aem