How to Boil Water
Choose a pot with a lid., Add cold tap water., Add salt for flavor (optional)., Place the pot over high heat., Learn the stages of boiling., Add the food., Turn down the heat.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose a pot with a lid.
A lid will trap heat inside the pot, making the water boil faster.
A large pot will take longer to boil, but the shape does not make a noticeable difference., Hot tap water can pick up lead from your water pipes, and is not recommended for drinking or cooking.Start with cold tap water instead.
Don't fill it all the way — a full pot can splash you as it boils, and you'll need space to add the food if you're cooking.
Don't believe the myth: cold water does not boil faster than hot water.It's the safe option, but it will take a bit longer. , Salt has almost no effect on the boiling temperature, even if you add enough to make it seawater!Add it only to flavor the food — especially pasta, which will absorb the salt along with the water.
You might notice a bunch of bubbles rise up as soon as you put the salt in.
It's a fun effect, but it doesn't change the temperature.Add salt when boiling eggs.
If the shell cracks, the salt will help the egg white solidify, plugging the hole., Place the pot on the stove and turn the burner underneath it to high.
Cover the pot with a lid to help the water boil a little faster. , Most recipes will either call for a simmer or a rolling boil.
Learn how to recognize these stages, plus a couple less common options that will help you find the perfect temperature:
Quiver:
Tiny bubbles appear at the base of the pot, but do not rise.
The surface quivers slightly.
This happens at about 140–170ºF (60–75ºC), a temperature good for poaching eggs, fruit, or fish.
Sub-simmer:
A couple little streams of bubbles are rising, but most of the water is still.
The water is around 170–195ºF (75–90ºC), and can be used for stew or braising meat.
Simmer:
Small to medium bubbles break the surface often, all across the pot.
At 195–212ºF (90–100ºC), this is a good time to steaming veggies or melting chocolate, depending how healthy you're feeling.
Full, rolling boil:
Steam and constant movement that doesn't stop when you stir the water.
This is the hottest your water is going to get: 212ºF (100ºC).
Cook pasta at this temperature. , If you are boiling something in the water, add it now.
The cold food will lower the water temperature, and might reduce it to an earlier stage.
That's fine; just leave the heat on high or medium until the water returns to the correct level.
Unless a recipe specifically tells you to, don't add the food before the water is hot.
That makes it hard to estimate the cooking time, and can have unexpected effects.
For example, meat ends up tougher and less flavorful if exposed to cold water at any time during cooking. , High heat is useful when you want to get the water to reach boiling temperature quickly.
Once you've got where you want, reduce the heat to medium (for boiling) or medium-low (for simmering).
Once the water is at a rolling boil, more heat will only make it boil away faster.
Check on the pot occasionally for the first few minutes, to make sure the water is stable at the stage you want it.
When you're making soup or another long-simmering dish, leave the lid slightly ajar.
Closing the lid completely will raise the temperature too high for these recipes. -
Step 2: Add cold tap water.
-
Step 3: Add salt for flavor (optional).
-
Step 4: Place the pot over high heat.
-
Step 5: Learn the stages of boiling.
-
Step 6: Add the food.
-
Step 7: Turn down the heat.
Detailed Guide
A lid will trap heat inside the pot, making the water boil faster.
A large pot will take longer to boil, but the shape does not make a noticeable difference., Hot tap water can pick up lead from your water pipes, and is not recommended for drinking or cooking.Start with cold tap water instead.
Don't fill it all the way — a full pot can splash you as it boils, and you'll need space to add the food if you're cooking.
Don't believe the myth: cold water does not boil faster than hot water.It's the safe option, but it will take a bit longer. , Salt has almost no effect on the boiling temperature, even if you add enough to make it seawater!Add it only to flavor the food — especially pasta, which will absorb the salt along with the water.
You might notice a bunch of bubbles rise up as soon as you put the salt in.
It's a fun effect, but it doesn't change the temperature.Add salt when boiling eggs.
If the shell cracks, the salt will help the egg white solidify, plugging the hole., Place the pot on the stove and turn the burner underneath it to high.
Cover the pot with a lid to help the water boil a little faster. , Most recipes will either call for a simmer or a rolling boil.
Learn how to recognize these stages, plus a couple less common options that will help you find the perfect temperature:
Quiver:
Tiny bubbles appear at the base of the pot, but do not rise.
The surface quivers slightly.
This happens at about 140–170ºF (60–75ºC), a temperature good for poaching eggs, fruit, or fish.
Sub-simmer:
A couple little streams of bubbles are rising, but most of the water is still.
The water is around 170–195ºF (75–90ºC), and can be used for stew or braising meat.
Simmer:
Small to medium bubbles break the surface often, all across the pot.
At 195–212ºF (90–100ºC), this is a good time to steaming veggies or melting chocolate, depending how healthy you're feeling.
Full, rolling boil:
Steam and constant movement that doesn't stop when you stir the water.
This is the hottest your water is going to get: 212ºF (100ºC).
Cook pasta at this temperature. , If you are boiling something in the water, add it now.
The cold food will lower the water temperature, and might reduce it to an earlier stage.
That's fine; just leave the heat on high or medium until the water returns to the correct level.
Unless a recipe specifically tells you to, don't add the food before the water is hot.
That makes it hard to estimate the cooking time, and can have unexpected effects.
For example, meat ends up tougher and less flavorful if exposed to cold water at any time during cooking. , High heat is useful when you want to get the water to reach boiling temperature quickly.
Once you've got where you want, reduce the heat to medium (for boiling) or medium-low (for simmering).
Once the water is at a rolling boil, more heat will only make it boil away faster.
Check on the pot occasionally for the first few minutes, to make sure the water is stable at the stage you want it.
When you're making soup or another long-simmering dish, leave the lid slightly ajar.
Closing the lid completely will raise the temperature too high for these recipes.
About the Author
Zachary Baker
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in creative arts and beyond.
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