How to Cook Broccoli
Clean the broccoli., Trim away the trunk of the main stem., Cut the florets., Place a steamer basket in a saucepan., Place the broccoli in the steamer basket., Steam the broccoli., Remove it from heat., Serve.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Clean the broccoli.
If you bought your broccoli at a commercial grocery store, a thorough rinse is fine.
If you grew your own broccoli or bought it at a farm stand, soak the broccoli in salted water for 10 minutes, then rinse it thoroughly.
Garden-fresh broccoli is prone to cabbage loopers, a common garden pest.
In their larval stage, cabbage loopers are green, approximately 1-inch-long worms.
Though they're harmless, they can be a real appetite killer.
The worms die in the salt water.
The cabbage loopers will float to the top of the surface of the water where you can skim them off and dispose of them. -
Step 2: Trim away the trunk of the main stem.
This is the thickest part of the broccoli.
The stem of the broccoli is completely edible, but the last inch or so will be a bit tougher and not as tasty.
You can eat the stem, or discard part of it. , Cut the trunks of each floret, or little bunch of broccoli, until you break the florets into several smaller pieces that are easy to work with.
If you're not a fan of the stalks, cut just below the crown.
If you want to get more mileage from your broccoli, cut farther down the stalk closer to the main stem of the broccoli bunch. , Fill a saucepan with 2 inches (5.1 cm) of water, insert a steamer basket, place a cover on the pan, and place the pan on a burner over medium heat.
Bring the water to a boil. , Remove the lid from the pan, place the broccoli florets in the steamer basket, and replace the lid on the pan. , Allow the broccoli to steam for 3
- 5 minutes, depending on how much broccoli you are cooking. , Remove the pan from the burner, and remove the lid immediately.
Otherwise, the broccoli will continue cooking and will quickly get soggy. , You can serve the broccoli plain, with sauce or seasoning, or you can incorporate it into another recipe. -
Step 3: Cut the florets.
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Step 4: Place a steamer basket in a saucepan.
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Step 5: Place the broccoli in the steamer basket.
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Step 6: Steam the broccoli.
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Step 7: Remove it from heat.
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Step 8: Serve.
Detailed Guide
If you bought your broccoli at a commercial grocery store, a thorough rinse is fine.
If you grew your own broccoli or bought it at a farm stand, soak the broccoli in salted water for 10 minutes, then rinse it thoroughly.
Garden-fresh broccoli is prone to cabbage loopers, a common garden pest.
In their larval stage, cabbage loopers are green, approximately 1-inch-long worms.
Though they're harmless, they can be a real appetite killer.
The worms die in the salt water.
The cabbage loopers will float to the top of the surface of the water where you can skim them off and dispose of them.
This is the thickest part of the broccoli.
The stem of the broccoli is completely edible, but the last inch or so will be a bit tougher and not as tasty.
You can eat the stem, or discard part of it. , Cut the trunks of each floret, or little bunch of broccoli, until you break the florets into several smaller pieces that are easy to work with.
If you're not a fan of the stalks, cut just below the crown.
If you want to get more mileage from your broccoli, cut farther down the stalk closer to the main stem of the broccoli bunch. , Fill a saucepan with 2 inches (5.1 cm) of water, insert a steamer basket, place a cover on the pan, and place the pan on a burner over medium heat.
Bring the water to a boil. , Remove the lid from the pan, place the broccoli florets in the steamer basket, and replace the lid on the pan. , Allow the broccoli to steam for 3
- 5 minutes, depending on how much broccoli you are cooking. , Remove the pan from the burner, and remove the lid immediately.
Otherwise, the broccoli will continue cooking and will quickly get soggy. , You can serve the broccoli plain, with sauce or seasoning, or you can incorporate it into another recipe.
About the Author
Larry Wells
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow cooking tutorials.
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