Cooking either in boiling water, or by heating the food until boiling
Questions tagged [boiling]
281 questions
16
votes
1 answer
Rolling boil has barely any steam?
I'm trying to reduce a sauce I've got but I noticed something interesting.
When I raise the heat so the sauce is at a full rolling boil, there is barely any steam coming out so I presume there is little reduction happening.
However, when I reduce…
Trogdor
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When a recipe says, 'simmer uncovered', what's the issue?
Many a recipe or package instructs: 'cook uncovered' without stating a reason. As a general matter, is this to protect me from boilover, or does it have some more subtle purpose?
bmargulies
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16
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4 answers
How does boiling remove vitamin C from food?
It's generally known that boiling vegetables removes a large fraction of vitamin C, but in what way?
Does the high temperature destroy it?
Is it merely absorbed by the boiling water?
Physiks lover
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16
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3 answers
When does parboiling "begin"?
I had a recipe for roast potatoes that states to parboil for 5 minutes before putting in the roasting tin.
Unfortunately I don't have the recipe still with me for reference but this is a general question for when instructed to parboil for a short…
komodosp
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2 answers
Are red beans supposed to look pruney when soaking?
I'm a teen trying to cook for himself and I wanted to make some red beans and rice.
After I boiled the water, I started soaking the red beans and in just 5-8 minutes, the beans pruned up like your fingers in bath.
I got so scared (I still am),…
crash15
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7 answers
Pouring cold water on pasta after cooking it
Some of my friends pour cold water on pasta after boiling it other don't. What do the professionals do? If they pour cold water on the pasta after the boil, what do they want to accomplish with doing it?
Laserallan
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Can I boil milk unattended (and still keep the pan clean)?
Many recipes call for first bringing milk up to boil.
I normally boil 1 quart (1 litre) of milk in a 3-quart stainless steel heavy bottomed pan:
use low heat
keep scraping the bottom of the pan every 1-2 minute
Milk comes to a boil in about 40-45…
joyjit
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10 answers
How To Tell When Corn is Done With Boiling
When boiling corn, how can I tell when it's done?
I usually remove the husk and silk. Would there be any advantage to leaving them on when boiling?
KatieK
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6 answers
What's the best way to keep cover of a pan slightly opened?
If you need to keep cover of pan or bowl slightly opened during cooking, what's the best way to do this. May be there is devices for that, if so preferably non-metal. Specifically glass bowl like Pyrex in a microwave.
R S
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Why does oil transfer heat to food more gradually than water?
While working on the homework for week 2 of Harvardx's Edx course, SPU27x Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science, I came across this question:
The difference in the specific heats for water and oil is important
for cooking.…
AKKA
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Why would you Parboil Some Vegetables Before Stir-Frying them?
An example would be green beans - some recipes call for parboiling green beans before stir-frying while others do not? Is there a reason behind this?
AttilaNYC
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Boiling potatoes with vs. without skin
It seems I got me thinking ...
When boiling potatoes in water or a steamer, what, if any, is the effect of peeling the potatoes before vs. after the cooking process?
Does it matter at all whether they are peeled before or after?
wrt. to taste in…
Martin
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How well does it work to just throw in all the ingredients and boil?
I'm wondering about this recipe.
It tempts me because I'm really lazy. But I'm skeptical because I've always been taught to sauté onions first, then progressively add other ingredients, starting with those that take longer to cook, and saving water…
Alex Hall
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13
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3 answers
Why do dumplings float when they are ready?
Most dumpling recipes—including those discussed on this site—claim that the dumplings will be ready when they float to the surface. I have two interrelated questions:
Does this rule ever fail? For example, might there be certain recipes or…
ESultanik
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Boiling Chicken Breast (or any meat) before cooking to cook evenly
Good day. I've had another disagreement with my mother on how to cook Chicken Breast. I know it seems like a small topic and it is situational, but do consider it.
The scenario is this, let's say you forget to take the Chicken Breast (whole, not…
Razgriz
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