How to Make Perfect Boiled Broccoli

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Serve impressive and nutritious boiled broccoli with every meal
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Broccoli is a nutrient-rich vegetable from the cabbage family. Nutritionists recommend that you avoid boiling it for too long, since it takes away many of the anti-carcinogenic properties. You can boil broccoli until it is soft, or blanch it to preserve nutrients and texture. Blanching broccoli removes its bitterness but maintains texture and taste similar to raw broccoli.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Cleaning and Cutting

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  1. Look for broccoli that is uniformly green, without a lot of brown or yellow areas. Feel the stem and crown to make sure they are firm and not limp. Check that the florets are in a nice, tight bunch. [1]
    • You can store raw broccoli in your refrigerator drawer for at least a week. However, its nutritional properties will begin to decline after three days.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Boil Broccoli
    Fill a spray bottle with three parts water to one part white vinegar. Spray the broccoli well. [2] Alternately, soak the broccoli in vinegar water before cooking it, which will also drive out any insects that may be in it. [3] Rinse the vegetables under cold tap water.
    • You can wash produce with water alone, but using the diluted vinegar method first removes about 98% of surface bacteria.
    • To make rinsing easier, place the broccoli in a colander inside of a clean sink basin. Use the spray setting on your faucet to rinse the vegetables.
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Boil Broccoli
    Use a sharp knife to cut through the vegetable stem about two inches below the crown. Break the crown apart into big florets. Slice each floret’s trunk to get bite-sized chunks. [4]
    • Remove any damaged or wilted leaves. [5]
    • If desired, save the stalks to add to stew, salad, or stir-fry. [6]
    • You can leave the stalks on if your recipe calls for it. Just peel back and remove the outermost layer, which is tough to eat, with a knife or vegetable peeler.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Boiling

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Boil Broccoli
    Pour enough water in a pot that it will completely submerge your broccoli. Add a sprinkle of salt to the water. Set the heat to high. [7]
    • You can use regular table salt or sea salt.
    • If you’re unsure whether you’ll have enough water in the pot to cover the broccoli, you can put the broccoli in the pot and cover it with water. Then take it back out and set it aside.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Boil Broccoli
    Wait until the water has reached a rolling boil. If you want to cook the stalks, add them to the pot. Cook them for two minutes. [8]
    • Broccoli stalks take longer to cook then florets.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Boil Broccoli
    Lower the florets gently into the boiling water with a slotted spoon. [9] Cook them in the pot with the stalks, if applicable, for four to five minutes. Don’t overcook them, or they will lose texture and taste. [10]
    • The broccoli is done when it is tender enough to easily insert the tip of a knife.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Boil Broccoli
    Remove them with tongs or drain them with a heat-safe colander. Spread the broccoli on a baking sheet. Allow it to cool down at room temperature.
    • If you believe you may have cooked the broccoli too long, you can place the baking sheet into your fridge to speed up the cooling process.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Blanching

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Boil Broccoli
    Put a large pot of water over high heat. Add between a sprinkle and a tablespoon of salt to the water, if desired. [11] Allow the pot of water to come to a boil.
    • Adding salt is optional. The advantage is that it will enhance the broccoli’s flavor. The disadvantage is that, over time, the sodium will cause the broccoli to be mushier.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Boil Broccoli
    Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water. Use a container that is at least five quarts. Alternately, you can use a clean sink basin with a drain stopper.
    • Skipping this step will affect the color and texture of your broccoli. [12]
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Boil Broccoli
    Lower the broccoli into the water with a slotted spoon. Let it cook for about three minutes. [13]
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Boil Broccoli
    If the vegetable clings onto the knife, it’s not yet done. If the knife goes in and out with ease, the broccoli is done.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Boil Broccoli
    Take the broccoli out of the water with tongs or a slotted spoon. “Shock” it by putting it into the ice bath.
    • Shocking vegetables cooks them moderately, then cools them rapidly so they stay crunchy.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Boil Broccoli
    Allow the broccoli to sit in the ice bath for about five minutes. Don’t remove the broccoli from the ice bath until it is entirely cool, or it will keep cooking from the inside out.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Is there a good way to boil broccoli without blanching?
    Constance Matic
    Community Answer
    After boiling the broccoli, you can cool it on a baking sheet (in or out of the refrigerator) instead of plunging it into an ice bath.
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  • Question
    How long do you boil Tenderstem broccoli?
    Community Answer
    You can simmer tenderstem broccoli for 3 to 4 minutes. Be sure that you simmer the water; don't bring it to a roiling boil, or you'll overcook the broccoli.
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  • Question
    How long does it take to boil broccoli?
    Community Answer
    This depends on what part of the broccoli you are cooking. You should boil the stalks for 6 to 7 minutes, and the florets for 4 to 5 minutes.
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      • Blanching vegetables maintains more flavor and nutrients than fully boiling them. Blanch broccoli if you plant to freeze it.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-broccoli-5-ways-167323
      2. ↑ https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5677-washing-produce
      3. ↑ http://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--1410/how-to-cook-broccoli.asp
      4. ↑ http://startcooking.com/how-to-cook-broccoli
      5. ↑ http://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--1410/how-to-cook-broccoli.asp
      6. ↑ http://www.howtoboil.net/how-to-boil-broccoli.html
      7. ↑ http://www.howtoboil.net/how-to-boil-broccoli.html
      8. ↑ http://www.howtoboil.net/how-to-boil-broccoli.html
      9. ↑ http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/brilliant-broccoli/
      1. ↑ http://www.howtoboil.net/how-to-boil-broccoli.html
      2. ↑ http://startcooking.com/blanching-vegetables
      3. ↑ http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/common-mistakes-while-cooking-vegetables/
      4. ↑ http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/broccoli.html

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      Boiling is an easy way to cook broccoli. First, clean the broccoli by spraying it with a mixture of 3 parts water and 1 part white vinegar. Rinse it again with cold tap water. Cut off the stem about 2 inches (5 cm) below the crown and break the crown up into smaller florets. Fill a pot with enough water to completely submerge the florets and add a sprinkle of salt. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and add the florets. Boil the broccoli for 4 to 5 minutes, or until it’s tender enough to easily pierce with a knife. Remove the broccoli from the water with tongs or pour it through a strainer, then spread it out on a baking sheet to cool.

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        Nov 27, 2017

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