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I've read different definitions for what stewing is. I've read that it means to cook at a simmer(i.e. below a boil) but I've also read it means to cook in water in a pot with a lid.

If the latter that could still mean it is boiling since the water has been added to the pot of food, it s cooking on high heat and so still being boiled.

Technically speaking, its not clear to me what the difference between stewing and boiling is. I've read that stewing means less mineral loss so it helps to understand in that context also.

James Wilson
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‘Boiling’ usually means a rolling boil, where all the liquid is at the boiling point. In a simmer, small bubbles of steam will occasionally rise from the bottom of the pan, but the liquid as a whole is below the boiling point. Stewing entails cooking for a long period of time at a simmer.

Kevin Nowaczyk
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  • So if we add water to a pot of meat which has starches in it etc, we increase them temperature and it boils for a bit, does that mean it's boiling or stewing? When we decrease the temperature does that mean it's gone back to a stew? – James Wilson Oct 09 '17 at 12:30
  • Unless it’s a rolling boil, it’s stewing. It’s not black and white based on temperature. Think “low heat or high heat”. Many recipes will say, “bring to a boil and stir for one minute, then reduce heat and simmer for 90 minutes” or something like that. It would be “stewing” despite the minute at a boil. It’s best to think about the recipe as a whole, not every operation step-by-step. – Kevin Nowaczyk Oct 09 '17 at 12:58