What is the point of frying and then poaching a sausage?
This recipe calls for first frying the sausage until fully cooked and then poaching it in pasta water. Many other pasta recipes from this vendor use similar technique.
What is the goal here? Is it to improve the texture of meat, imbue it with some "pasta" taste or make kale taste meaty? Is it important to use "starch" water?
Best Answer
It would certainly taste fine if you simply poached the sausage, but frying first creates an environment for the Maillard reaction, and caramelization. These two effects create desirable flavors, which both enhance the sausage, and, in the case the entire dish.
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What is poaching used for?
Poaching is often confused with stewing, as both techniques involve cooking through simmering. However, the purpose of poaching is to cook while retaining the basic shape and structure of the food, rather than to soften it, as with stewing.How do you poach sausage?
Place sausages on top and add leftover marinade to cover. Place the skillet over medium heat and gradually bring liquid to a simmer. Poach sausages until partially-cooked, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer sausages to a plate and pat dry if needed.Why do we poach food?
To poach is to slowly simmer food in liquid until it is cooked. It is a very gentle and gradual way to cook, fitting for delicate foods such as eggs, fish and fruit. Poaching allows the protein in the food to cook without losing moisture.How do you poach pork sausages?
Poaching SausagesHow To Cook Sausages - Boil n Burn Method - Super Results - Sausage Recipe
More answers regarding what is the point of frying and then poaching a sausage?
Answer 2
As has been mentioned, the frying will brown the sausage. This also changes the texture of the casing, which can be a bit chewy if you only poach it.
I suspect that the poaching is actually the opposite of what you think— it’s so the pasta and kale get the flavor of the sausage
The poaching also helps ensures the sausage is fully cooked, which can be difficult to tell with sausage, as you can’t rely on color due to the spices.
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