How to Poach a Fish
Prepare a court bouillon., Prepare your fish., Cook the fish in the court bouillon., Finish poaching the fish., Serve the fish with a velouté sauce.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Prepare a court bouillon.
Poaching fish is part of traditional French cooking, and the standard liquid used for poaching is court bouillon, a broth made with water, salt, vegetables and aromatic herbs.
Court bouillon can be as simple as salted water with some white wine, but adding a few additional fresh ingredients is a great way to enhance the flavor of the fish.
To make a simple court bouillon, put the following ingredients in a pot and simmer them for 30 minutes, then allow the mixture to cool:1 gallon (3.8 L) of water 1/4 cup of Kosher salt 1 cup of white wine 1 white onion, peeled and roughly chopped 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped 1 sprig of thyme 2 sprigs tarragon 1 lemon, thinly sliced -
Step 2: Prepare your fish.
Any type of fish may be poached.
Since this cooking method defines and concentrates the flavor of the fish, choose one with a taste you love.
It's important to select the freshest fish possible, since an extra hint of fishiness will cause the whole dish to taste off.
Purchase fish from a source you trust, and look for fish with bright scales and firm, translucent flesh.
If you're poaching a whole fish, choose one with clear eyes and ask the fishmonger to gut and clean it if necessary.
Rinse the fish to remove any impurities before cooking.
If you're poaching fillets, use a knife to make several slash marks into the skin.
This will prevent the fillets from curling up as they poach. , Pour the court bouillon into a stockpot large enough to fit the fish and liquid (or a fish poacher, if you have access to this special equipment).
You'll need enough liquid to cover the fish entirely, and a gallon should suffice.
From here, the method differs slightly depending on whether you're poaching a whole fish or fillets:
For a whole fish, set the fish in the stockpot and pour the cooled court bouillon over the fish until it's entirely covered.
Place it over medium heat to bring it to a simmer.
For fish fillets, first pour the court bouillon into the stockpot and bring it to a simmer.
Check its temperature with a thermometer; when it reaches 160 °F (71 °C), place the fish fillets into the heated broth. , Allow the fish to simmer in the bouillon for about five minutes, or until the flesh is opaque and easily flakes apart.
Never let the liquid come to a full boil, since this could cause the fish to get overcooked.
Once the fish is ready, use a fish spatula to transfer it to a plate for serving. , Poached fish is traditionally served with a flavorful sauce called velouté.
The sauce is made from the leftover court bouillon mixed with a roux composed of flour and butter.
Serve the poached fish with a pour of velouté and some fresh vegetables.
To make Velouté, follow these steps:
Cook 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons (29.6 ml) flour to make a medium roux.
Whisk the roux into 6 cups of heated court bouillon.
Allow the mixture to simmer until it's reduced by 1/3 and thickened to the consistency of a sauce. -
Step 3: Cook the fish in the court bouillon.
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Step 4: Finish poaching the fish.
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Step 5: Serve the fish with a velouté sauce.
Detailed Guide
Poaching fish is part of traditional French cooking, and the standard liquid used for poaching is court bouillon, a broth made with water, salt, vegetables and aromatic herbs.
Court bouillon can be as simple as salted water with some white wine, but adding a few additional fresh ingredients is a great way to enhance the flavor of the fish.
To make a simple court bouillon, put the following ingredients in a pot and simmer them for 30 minutes, then allow the mixture to cool:1 gallon (3.8 L) of water 1/4 cup of Kosher salt 1 cup of white wine 1 white onion, peeled and roughly chopped 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped 1 sprig of thyme 2 sprigs tarragon 1 lemon, thinly sliced
Any type of fish may be poached.
Since this cooking method defines and concentrates the flavor of the fish, choose one with a taste you love.
It's important to select the freshest fish possible, since an extra hint of fishiness will cause the whole dish to taste off.
Purchase fish from a source you trust, and look for fish with bright scales and firm, translucent flesh.
If you're poaching a whole fish, choose one with clear eyes and ask the fishmonger to gut and clean it if necessary.
Rinse the fish to remove any impurities before cooking.
If you're poaching fillets, use a knife to make several slash marks into the skin.
This will prevent the fillets from curling up as they poach. , Pour the court bouillon into a stockpot large enough to fit the fish and liquid (or a fish poacher, if you have access to this special equipment).
You'll need enough liquid to cover the fish entirely, and a gallon should suffice.
From here, the method differs slightly depending on whether you're poaching a whole fish or fillets:
For a whole fish, set the fish in the stockpot and pour the cooled court bouillon over the fish until it's entirely covered.
Place it over medium heat to bring it to a simmer.
For fish fillets, first pour the court bouillon into the stockpot and bring it to a simmer.
Check its temperature with a thermometer; when it reaches 160 °F (71 °C), place the fish fillets into the heated broth. , Allow the fish to simmer in the bouillon for about five minutes, or until the flesh is opaque and easily flakes apart.
Never let the liquid come to a full boil, since this could cause the fish to get overcooked.
Once the fish is ready, use a fish spatula to transfer it to a plate for serving. , Poached fish is traditionally served with a flavorful sauce called velouté.
The sauce is made from the leftover court bouillon mixed with a roux composed of flour and butter.
Serve the poached fish with a pour of velouté and some fresh vegetables.
To make Velouté, follow these steps:
Cook 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons (29.6 ml) flour to make a medium roux.
Whisk the roux into 6 cups of heated court bouillon.
Allow the mixture to simmer until it's reduced by 1/3 and thickened to the consistency of a sauce.
About the Author
Janet King
Committed to making cooking accessible and understandable for everyone.
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