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Well my rule of thumb is to boil the following vegetables for that time before putting them in the ice bath:

  • 1 minute for broccoli
  • 3 minutes for carrots
  • 2 minutes for beans
  • 1 minute for flat beans
  • 4 minutes for cauliflower

Is there a master list out there for the amount of boiling before bathing that will perhaps have better timing and more vegetables on it?

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  • I'm surprised that cauliflower is 4 minutes while broccoli is only 1. Is it because cauliflower is much denser and more tightly packed?
    – Chad
    Aug 17, 2010 at 15:47
  • @Chad - yes and no. I also like the cauliflower a little bit softer than crunchy. I actually add salt, lemon to it with a side of ketchup as an appetizer
    – dassouki
    Aug 17, 2010 at 15:49
  • When you intend to stir-fry the vegetables further, say with noodles, scrambled egg sauce or fried rice, these times seem a little long... Even carrots which seem quite hard need less time (in my opinion) than those listed. Then again, the way in which the vegetables are first cut would affect the amount of blanching time... Say the difference between quartered, coined and matchstick carrots.
    – Adrian Hum
    Jan 4, 2016 at 0:29

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Here's a few lists:

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6

I don't think it is really possible to name exact times. It depends on the age and toughness of the particular batch of vegetables, how thick they are and how you've cut them. The way I do this is to make my initial judgement based on color change, and then start poking at them with a cake tester every 30 seconds or so until they reach the perfect degree of tenderness, then shock them in a bath with plenty of ice immediately.

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