When a recipe (no specific recipe, just in general) says, "bring to a boil
and then reduce heat," how long do you keep it at a boil before you reduce
the heat? I'm guessing that the reason you bring it to a boil is so that
all of the ingredients come to the same temperature before you reduce to a
simmer.

Thanks

--
Ray

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Ray M wrote:

When a recipe (no specific recipe, just in general) says, "bring to a boil
and then reduce heat," how long do you keep it at a boil before you reduce
the heat?

I let it boil thirty seconds or so, to be assured it's really a boil,
then I turn it down as the recipe directs.
Goomba

Goomba wrote:
Ray M wrote:

When a recipe (no specific recipe, just in general) says, "bring to
a boil and then reduce heat," how long do you keep it at a boil
before you reduce the heat?

I let it boil thirty seconds or so, to be assured it's really a boil,
then I turn it down as the recipe directs.
Goomba

Agreed. And this means (to me) a rolling boil, not just simmering/sorta
bubbling.

Jill

On Sat, 18 Oct 2003 23:24:25 GMT, "Ray M"
wrote:

When a recipe (no specific recipe, just in general) says, "bring to a boil
and then reduce heat," how long do you keep it at a boil before you reduce
the heat? I'm guessing that the reason you bring it to a boil is so that
all of the ingredients come to the same temperature before you reduce to a
simmer.

I turn it down when it comes to a rolling boil. I don't keep it
there. OTOH, I don't watch like a hawk either.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

Curly Sue wrote:
On Sat, 18 Oct 2003 23:24:25 GMT, "Ray M"
wrote:

When a recipe (no specific recipe, just in general) says, "bring to
a boil and then reduce heat," how long do you keep it at a boil
before you reduce the heat? I'm guessing that the reason you bring
it to a boil is so that all of the ingredients come to the same
temperature before you reduce to a simmer.

I turn it down when it comes to a rolling boil. I don't keep it
there. OTOH, I don't watch like a hawk either.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

A watched pot never boils

"jmcquown" wrote in news:6lkkb.19459$5n.6028
@bignews5.bellsouth.net:

Curly Sue wrote:
On Sat, 18 Oct 2003 23:24:25 GMT, "Ray M"
wrote:

When a recipe (no specific recipe, just in general) says, "bring to
a boil and then reduce heat," how long do you keep it at a boil
before you reduce the heat? I'm guessing that the reason you bring
it to a boil is so that all of the ingredients come to the same
temperature before you reduce to a simmer.

I turn it down when it comes to a rolling boil. I don't keep it
there. OTOH, I don't watch like a hawk either.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

A watched pot never boils




Ay, but an unwatched pot boils over ;-)

On Sun, 19 Oct 2003 06:20:44 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
wrote:

"jmcquown" wrote in news:6lkkb.19459$5n.6028
:

A watched pot never boils

Ay, but an unwatched pot boils over ;-)

^_^ Something on the order of "Absence makes the heart grow fonder"
and "Out of sight; out of mind." Life isn't fair!

On Sat, 18 Oct 2003 19:34:24 -0400, Goomba
wrote:

Ray M wrote:

When a recipe (no specific recipe, just in general) says, "bring to a boil
and then reduce heat," how long do you keep it at a boil before you reduce
the heat?

I let it boil thirty seconds or so, to be assured it's really a boil,
then I turn it down as the recipe directs.

Boiling is boiling. It's not going to increase in sophistication (or
heat) in another 30 seconds. Often you bring liquid to a boil as
quickly as possible, dump in ingredients, possibly let *return* to the
boil, and reduce heat to simmering or 'not-boil-over' to complete
cooking.

Ray M wrote:
When a recipe (no specific recipe, just in general) says, "bring to a boil
and then reduce heat," how long do you keep it at a boil before you reduce
the heat? I'm guessing that the reason you bring it to a boil is so that
all of the ingredients come to the same temperature before you reduce to a
simmer.

The reason you bring something to a boil is to get it hot enough.
Reduce the heat as soon as the liquid reaches the boiling stage.
If a recipe called for something different, it would presumably
say something like "boil for x minutes, then reduce to a simmer."

Frogleg wrote:

Boiling is boiling. It's not going to increase in sophistication (or
heat) in another 30 seconds. Often you bring liquid to a boil as
quickly as possible, dump in ingredients, possibly let *return* to the
boil, and reduce heat to simmering or 'not-boil-over' to complete
cooking.

Unless of course you see one bubble and assume you're boiling and reduce
the heat prematurely. Been known to happen. So as I said, I allow it to
go a few seconds more to be assured it's at a good rolling boil.

Frogleg wrote in
:

On Sun, 19 Oct 2003 06:20:44 GMT, Wayne Boatwright
wrote:

"jmcquown" wrote in news:6lkkb.19459$5n.6028
:

A watched pot never boils

Ay, but an unwatched pot boils over ;-)

^_^ Something on the order of "Absence makes the heart grow fonder"
and "Out of sight; out of mind." Life isn't fair!


Gee, and I always thought that was "Absinth"... worked for me!

Dog3 wrote in
03:

"Ray M" deliciously posted in
nk.net:

When a recipe (no specific recipe, just in general) says, "bring to a
boil and then reduce heat," how long do you keep it at a boil before
you reduce the heat? I'm guessing that the reason you bring it to a
boil is so that all of the ingredients come to the same temperature
before you reduce to a simmer.

Thanks


I always bring it just to the boil (rolling boil) and reduce the heat.
I'm not sure about the temp you brought up. IMO it's to release
flavor. That's just me not reading a book on the subject though.

Michael

I'm sure your right about some recipes, especially those that state "cook
at a rolling boil until done". However, in most recipes it only serves
to facilitate a quicker start at cooking or, in the case of pasta, to
prevent premature softening and to help in keeping the pieces separated.

Wayne