Sauteed poultry should be tender and juicy, its flavor developed by pit browning. Additional flavors come from a sauce made by deglazing the pan usually with wine, and adding garnishes, seasonings and liquids. Stir-frying is a popular method of sauteing poultry; boneless pieces are cut into strips and quickly cooked with assorted vegetables and seasonings.
Selecting Poultry to Saute
Most poultry is quite tender and well suited for sauteing. Although small birds such as squab can be sauteed bone-in, large pieces and bone-in cuts from larger birds should not be sauteed. Boneless breasts, supremes, scallops and cutlets are the most common and practical cuts for sauteing. Because they are high in fat, boneless duck breasts (called magrets) can be sautéed without additional fat.
Seasoning Poultry to be Sauteed
Poultry has a delicate flavor that is enhanced by a wide variety of herbs, spices, condiments and marinades. Flavor combinations are limited only by your imagination. When poultry items are dusted with flour before sauteing, the seasonings may first be added to the flour.
Cooking Temperatures
The saute pan and the cooking fat must be hot before the poultry is added. The temperature at which the poultry is then sauteed is determined by its thickness and the desired color of the finished product. A thin, boneless slice Squires relatively high temperatures so that its surface is browned before the center is overcooked. A thicker cut such as a supreme requires lower temperatures so that neither its surface nor the fond are burned before the item is fully cooked. Adjust the temperature throughout the cooking process in order to achieve the desired results, never letting the pan become too cool.
If the pan is overcrowded or otherwise allowed to cool, the poultry will cook in its own juices and absorb oil from the pan, resulting in a poor-quality product.
Determining Doneness
Thin cuts of poultry cook very quickly, so timing is a useful tool; it is less useful with thicker cuts. Experienced cooks can tell the doneness of an item by judging the temperature of the saute pan and the color of the item being cooked.
A more practical method is to press the item with your finger and judge the resistance. Very undercooked poultry will offer little resistance and feel mushy. Slightly underdone poultry will feel spongy and will not spring back when your finger is removed. Properly cooked poultry will feel firm to the touch and will spring back when your finger is removed. Overcooked poultry will feel very firm, almost hard, and will spring back quickly when your finger is removed.
Accompaniments to Sauteed Poultry
Sauteed poultry is usually served with a sauce made directly in the pan in much the item was cooked. The sauce uses the fond for added flavor. A wide variety of ingredients, including garlic, onions, shallots, mushrooms and tomatoes, are commonly added to the pan as well as wine and stock.
Sauteed items are often served with a starch such as pasta, rice or potatoes.
Procedure for Sauteing Poultry
1. Heat a saute pan and add enough fat or oil to just cover the bottom.
2. Add the poultry item, presentation side down, and cook until browned.
3. Turn the item, using tongs or by tossing the item back upon itself using the pan’s sloped sides.
4. Larger items can be finished in an oven. Either place the saute pan in the oven or transfer the poultry to another pan. The latter procedure allows a sauce to be made in the original pan as the poultry cooks in the oven.
Hold smaller pieces that are thoroughly cooked in a warm place so that the pan can be used for making the sauce.
Procedure for Preparing a Sauce in the Saute Pan
1. Pour off any excess fat or oil from the saute pan, leaving enough to saute the sauce ingredients.
2 Add ingredients such as garlic, shallots and mushrooms that will be used as garnishes and sauce flavorings; saute them.
3. Deglaze the pan with wine, stock or other liquids. Scrape the pan, loosening the fond and allowing it to dissolve in the liquid. Reduce the liquid.
4. Add any ingredients that do not require long cooking times such as herbs and spices. Adjust the sauce’s consistency and seasonings.
5. For service, the poultry’ can be returned to the pan for a moment to reheat it and to coat it with the sauce. The poultry should remain in the sauce jus long enough to reheat. Do not attempt to cook the poultry in ihe same.
6. Serve the poultry with the accompanying sauce.
Chicken Saute with Onions, Garlic and Bash
Ingredients:
| Chicken breasts, boneless, skinless approx. 8 oz. (250 g) each | 3 |
| Salt and pepper | TT |
| Flour | as needed |
| Clarified butter | 1 oz. |
| Onion, small dice | 2 oz. |
| Garlic cloves, chopped | 6 |
| Dry white wine | 4 oz. |
| Lemon juice | 1 Tbsp. |
| Tomato concassee | 6 oz. |
| Chicken stock | 4 oz. |
| Fresh basil leaves, chiffonade | 6 |
How to make:
1. Split the chicken breasts and remove the cartilage connecting the halves.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper: dredge in flour.
3. Saute the breasts in the butter, browning them and cooking a point. Hold in a warm place.
4. Add the onions and garlic to the fond and butter in the pan; saute until d onions are translucent.
5.Deglaze the pan with the white wine and lemon juice.
6. Add the tomato concassee and chicken stock. Saute to combine the (Ian reduce the sauce to the desired consistency.
7. Add die basil to the sauce and return the chicken breasts for reheating. Adjust the seasonings and serve 1/2 breast per portion with a portion of the sauce