Cooking either in boiling water, or by heating the food until boiling
4
votes
2answers
483 views
Why microwaves do not kill harmful bacteria as well as boiling?
Medical Biochemistry point of view
My biochemistry teacher said today that the problem with micros is that they do not kill all harmful bacteria. He proposed boiling food instead.
I think there are ...
11
votes
3answers
4k views
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 ...
7
votes
5answers
6k views
How is boiled rice different from steamed?
I recently got into a friendly argument with a coworker about how rice should be prepared.
I insisted that the goal was to steam the rice- too much water and it would boil into a soupy pudding.
She ...
75
votes
5answers
15k views
Why add salt to the water when cooking pasta?
What is the effect of adding salt to the water when cooking pasta?
8
votes
9answers
8k views
What's the best way to tell that pasta is done (when boiling)?
I've tried a number of different ways to tell when spaghetti, capellini and other pasta types are done, but I'm curious if there are more specific rules of thumb. With regular spaghetti, I've tried ...
0
votes
2answers
493 views
How to boil pork knuckle?
My family would like to eat pork knuckle (ideally the Germany/Austrian style but not necessary as long as they taste fine). I looked up various receipt but most require an oven, which I don't have ...
2
votes
1answer
130 views
Does it take more energy to maintain a higher cooking temperature?
This is just the curious cat in me. When heating water on a stove top in a covered pot, once the desired temperature is reached, does it take more energy to maintain the temp if it is higher (say ...
24
votes
7answers
7k views
Can I boil pasta in a pasta sauce?
Is it ok to boil pasta in pan with a pasta sauce?
Is there any reason to boil pasta separately (and then add the sauce)?
32
votes
5answers
5k views
Why wait for water to boil?
I've always heard that you should wait for water to boil before adding pasta/perogies/vegetables/etc. What is the reason for this? Is it because it reaches boiling point faster? If so, why?
15
votes
6answers
4k views
(How) can I prevent pasta water from boiling over with the lid closed?
I always cook pasta with the lid of the pot open, because otherwise foam starts to build up and eventually boils over, maikng a huge mess. I would prefer to keep the lid on for energy saving purposes. ...
8
votes
2answers
592 views
Does water boil faster with the lid on?
When bringing water to a boil from cold water, what effect does a lid have on the time to boil? Does it increase or decrease the time? How much? Why?
4
votes
4answers
2k views
What causes chicken fat on the surface of soup, and does it add flavor to the dish?
I was making a Japanese ramen soup recipe which involved cooking raw diced chicken thigh in the soup for a few minutes. Soon after adding the chicken to the soup, globules of fat started appearing on ...
10
votes
4answers
6k views
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?
2
votes
4answers
259 views
Best moment to put salt in spaghetti?
Different friends have conflicting theories about the best moment to pour salt into spaghettis:
Before putting the spaghettis, so that the salt infiltrates inside the spaghetti.
Just a bit before ...
3
votes
3answers
871 views
Dissolving Egg Shell
I know that an egg shell is made up of approximately 92% Calcium Carbonate. The remaining percentage of the mass is a protein matrix. I know that vinegar (5% acetic acid) dissolves the Calcium ...
0
votes
1answer
575 views
Why does milk curdle after being boiled with ginger?
I had heard that raw or simply pasteurized milk does curdle if Ginger is put in it before it reaches its boiling point.
Alright, so yesterday I boiled the pasteurized milk at 23:00. Room temperature ...
2
votes
1answer
76 views
Implied cooking temperatures on food packaging
Every time I follow directions I see instructions like this:
Bring water to boil
Stir in pasta
Return to rapid boil
Cook for 6 minutes for al-dente
I set the stove burner to high for Step 1. Do I ...
18
votes
7answers
6k views
Does adding salt help water boil faster?
I've always heard adding salt to water makes it boil faster. Is this true? If so, why? If not, why do people do it?
12
votes
3answers
6k views
Why add salt to the water when cooking rice?
Given the great answer to the question on adding salt to water when cooking pasta, I am curious whether the same explanation holds for rice as it does for pasta (flavor and starch gelation)? Is there ...
4
votes
2answers
200 views
Do I need to boil kidneys?
I was just speaking to someone in the sci-fi chat today when the subject of kidneys came up:
Kidneys aren't "bad" in that they have the consistency and taste of muscle/meat... but they're very ...
3
votes
4answers
3k views
How do I stop porridge sticking to the pan?
I love porridge but I always seem to end with some stuck on the bottom of the saucepan. I use a non-stick saucepan, keep on a low heat, and stir regularly. I tend to use porridge oats and enough water ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
Cooking dried corn
I'm trying to cook some dried corn that normally is meant for popcorn.
I've soaked it 36 hours using bottled water and then rinsed it multiple times with tap water.
After that I cooked it for about ...
0
votes
1answer
109 views
Is it bad to use lids that do not fit on pot?
I was told it's bad to use glass lids on pots that don't fit because the metal against the glass could shatter it. Is this true?
3
votes
2answers
1k views
Using a wooden spoon to prevent pots from boiling over?
Someone recently told me that placing a wooden spoon across the top of a pot will prevent boilovers.
Could somebody explain to me why this is the case?
16
votes
6answers
1k views
Can food be boiled “extra fast/hard” in water?
Once water is boiling you can either leave the heat on quite high, or turn it down a bit so that it just keeps boiling. Apart from extra water vaporating, does this have any effect on the taste of ...
12
votes
10answers
15k views
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?
10
votes
1answer
317 views
Is steam lost in boiling negligible?
If I bring 20 ounces of water (2.5 cups) to boil in a kettle, and promptly remove it from the heat, is the amount of water lost (by volume/mass) a negligible quantity?
To be more precise about my ...
4
votes
2answers
2k views
Heated up oil for frying, stirred it, tiny bubbles appeared and rose slowly but with very loud popping sound - why?
Last night I tried deep frying stuff for the first time.
As the oil heated in the pot, I thought it would be a good idea to stir the oil (I was really scared of it catching on fire). It was probably ...
8
votes
2answers
251 views
Soft Boiled Egg Science
I've heard that the white part of an egg cooks (solidifies) at about 63°C (145°F). I've heard that the yolk cooks at about 68°C (154°F). Is this true?
Also what chemicals do the white and yolk ...
8
votes
4answers
10k views
Is it safe to use plastic wrap in boiling water?
While I've come across one or two recipes that call for using plastic wrap in pots of boiling water (for example, to cook eggs), I've always been a bit wary of putting the wrap in boiling water. Can ...
0
votes
0answers
26 views
what are the sticky bubbles that float when cooking beef [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What's that scum at the sides of my home-made burger when I cook it?
I am using steak to cook beef stew and I used to skim the brown bubble stuff off but I curious ...
4
votes
2answers
638 views
Will meat overcook in a boiling water pot?
I recently ate at a restaurant that had you cook your own food. They had a heating plate in the middle of the table and they would set a small pot onto it and add in spices/vegetables to the water, ...
-1
votes
2answers
155 views
What is this Asian dish made with boiled vegetables?
Does anyone know which is the dish where we have a pot/pan of boiling vegetables/meat in the center and people sit around it with their noodles and soup bowls and keep picking things from it and ...
10
votes
3answers
4k views
Is it safe to reheat old water in an electric kettle?
I usually throw away the remaining water in the electric kettle before refilling it if the water is more than about a day old. In theory wouldn't boiling kill any impurities the old water might have? ...
18
votes
10answers
5k views
Can I boil eggs in the same pot I'm boling something else?
I know cooking the eggs kills the salmonella and that the risk is small even for raw eggs. However, I stopped boiling the eggs in the same pot I'm boiling something else, like potatoes, when I learnt ...
1
vote
0answers
93 views
Cooking with temperature instead of 1-12? [closed]
I have a question regarding temperature control when cooking on the stove. Some of the new cooktops come with sensors measuring both boiling sensors (using IR) and frying sensors (measuring ...
2
votes
2answers
587 views
Why did my Turkish Delight come out flavorless?
Yesterday I made Turkish Delight, and today I cut it into squares and tasted it. This was the recipe:
330 ml liquid (apple juice, from freshly cold-pressed apples, strong flavor)
A small amount of ...
14
votes
5answers
11k views
How do I prevent an egg cracking while hard boiling it?
Sometimes when I cook hard boiled eggs they will crack in the saucepan, and some of the egg will seep out into the water.
Am I boiling the water too vigorously, or can I add something to the water to ...
2
votes
8answers
4k views
Peeling and dicing potato before boiling it
I've mostly seen people peel a potato after it has been boiled and then cutting it to pieces if required. Given it's muddy exterior, I find it cleaner (and probably takes less heat) to remove the skin ...
6
votes
1answer
6k views
Difference between boiling and steaming vegetables?
I have eaten both boiled vegetables and steamed vegetables (e.g. broccoli, carrot, zucchini etc.), and I cannot tell the vegetables are cooked in one way or the other, whether by texture or by taste ...
0
votes
5answers
641 views
How can I stop the cooking in my chicken and noodle soup?
I usually enjoy my chicken noodle soup right after cooking it to perfect noodle doneness. Most of what I cooked goes into the fridge. My problem is that while I'm waiting for the left-over soup to ...
6
votes
2answers
3k views
Will meat cook inside of a rice cooker?
I would like to use my rice cooker to cook one of those pre-packaged jambalaya mixes, and I've had good success with using prepackaged rice packets in my rice cooker. Sometimes there is a bit of ...
10
votes
5answers
3k views
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 ...
20
votes
5answers
12k views
When boiling water, why start from cold?
A question about probably the most mundane subject in cooking: boiling water.
For cooking techniques where you drop ingredients in simmering or boiling water - such as for vegetables, pasta, many ...
0
votes
1answer
100 views
Why are some kind of packets-soups boiled up in lukewarm water, while normally just stirred into already boiling water?
Inscription on packets-soups from supermarket states:
Stir the soup-meal into lukewarm water, boil it up, and wait 5-10 minutes. Ready to eat.
Normally the inscription says that you should boil ...
4
votes
3answers
542 views
Fried Spaghetti
Pasta, as far as I'm aware, is always boiled to serve. However, their eastern cousin, noodles, are often fried. Are there any well-known Western (Italian) dishes that use fried fresh pasta, instead of ...
3
votes
1answer
493 views
Discolouration when boiling green vegetables with lid on
Why do green vegetables discolour when they are boiled with the lid on?
5
votes
4answers
19k views
How should I boil green beans to keep them crisp?
I just pulled fresh Blue Lake Bush green beans from my garden, snapped the ends and wanted to boil them, while keeping then crisp. How should I boil them so they are cooked through, but not limp?
1
vote
4answers
659 views
What is the authentic way to cook pierogi?
I've been buying pre-packaged pierogi from Trader Joe's and local Polish delis. But I can't seem to get a straight or consistent answer on how you are supposed to cook them. Should you steam pierogi, ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views
How to make red wine sauce?
I have tried to make red wine sauce using this recipe, but it didn't end up so well.
One problem was this step:
Bring to a boil and let boil boil over high heat until mixture is reduced to a thin ...
