The Secret to Perfect Braised Chicken: Skip the Blanching, Embrace "Three Soaks, Two Saisés, One Simmer"
Last month, I attempted to recreate my mother’s legendary braised chicken—twice. The first time, I followed online tutorials insisting on blanching the meat first. The result? Dry, flavorless chunks floating in a sad broth. The second time, I skipped the blanching altogether, only to end up with a murky soup topped with revolting blood scum. Yet when Mom makes it, her chicken emerges tender, fragrant, and utterly devoid of gaminess. What dark magic was this? I pulled up a stool in her kitchen, determined to decode her "three soaks, two sautés, one simmer" technique passed down through generations.
