How to Boil Water (Without Burning It)
Posted: Sunday, January 17, 2010
by Janet Schick
How many times have you said to yourself,or to others, "I can't boil water without burning it!" Well, now you can, with this quick and easy guide to "How to Bring Water to a Boil"..After you have mastered this all-important skill, you will then be able to tackle all kinds of culinary challenges. Hard boiled eggs! Mashed potatoes! Even pasta! They'll all be within reach once you've studied and practiced the steps below. So let's get started, shall we?
1. A pot (any size, depending on how much water you want to boil. The more water you are boiling, the bigger the pot you will need).
2. Water. Again, the amount needed depends on what dish you are making. For example, it takes more water to boil enough spaghetti for an all-you-can-eat Mother's Day dinner at the firehouse than it does to boil one egg.
3. A source of heat. It can be a stove, an open fire, a hot plate, even a microwave oven! (Note: Though an electric blanket and hair dryer are considered sources of heat, they aren't really suitable for the task at hand)
4. An oven mitt (I recommend a good fireproof mitt that extends up to the armpit.). Now the fun begins!
First, pour the water into the pot. Then, carefully place the pot over the heat source. If you are using a stove or a microwave oven, you will need to know how to turn it on. Consult your owner's manual. If you are using an oven mitt, take care that it doesn't come into direct contact with the heat source, as serious injury to the mitt and to your hand could result.
Now, simply sit back and wait! How long it will take depends on many factors, such as the altitude you live in (the higher up you are the longer it takes, for reasons which no one completely understands. It's what we call a Great Mystery of Cooking).
Other factors include, the amount of water you are boiling and the temperature of your heat source . For example, a stove turned to "high" will boil water faster than one that is set to "low". A little practice will help determine which heat level is right for you.
Before too long, if you've performed all of the above steps correctly, you should start to notice tiny little bubbles on the bottom and sides of your pot. This will be accompanied by a smoky looking substance (i.e."steam") rising from the surface of the water. Don't be alarmed, this is perfectly normal. It is, however, very hot . Placing your hands or face directly over the steam could result in what's known as a "steam burn"--very painful.
In just a few more minutes, you will have what is known as a "rolling boil", where the water appears to be in constant *rolling*motion and big bubbles are forming and bursting all over the place. And this is where you can finally say to yourself "I've done it! I've boiled water!"
But wait--there's more! Yes, you've done the hard part, you've boiled the water. Now, you just have to not burn it. The trick to this is knowing when to turn off your heat source. If you've left your cooking area to go to the bathroom, or answer the phone,or do a little online shopping, and you begin to notice a strange odor and black smoke wafting through the house, chances are you forgot to turn off the heat source. Don't worry, it's a mistake we all make at one time or another. Simply return to the cooking area, remove the pot from the stove or fire and douse any flames that may be present. (Hint: Again, a good fireproof ovenmitt is a big help.) You may want to turn on a fan and open a window to help disperse the smoke. Hopefully, you will not find it necessary to call 911.
That's all there is to it! That wasn't so bad, was it? It just takes a little practice. A few final tips and you're ready to try it yourself.
First, if you want to boil potatoes, make sure that they are RAW potatoes chopped up. Frozen french fries, for example, do not do well in boiling water.
When attempting to make hard boiled eggs, be attentive! I can tell you from my own experience that there is nothing stinkier and more disgusting than hard boiled eggs that have exploded from overcooking in a dry pot.
And finally, make sure you drain the water from the food before serving. Nothing says "Rookie Cook" like Kraft Macaroni and Cheese that is swimming in orange colored water.
Bon appetit!
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Top-level comments on this article: (9 total)Good one, Janet.
Thaks for the comic relief, Janet. I've blown up eggs too.
You should read my piece about Warpie writing straight through explosion in kitchen.... and I have been cooking meals for the family to eat since I was EIGHT years old - watch out, Janet - this can get very addicting. MarijoThanks again for reading, Marijo
Great article, Janet. There is also an old saying, "a watched pot never boils"; but be sure to watch that boiling pot or it will be all over the stove!Great read. Welcome to Searchwarp.SandraThanks for reading it!
an old and very good friend of mine won't let his wife in the kitchen...because stacy can't boil water to save her life. Dave is a fantastic cook, and prior to meeting stacy, had spent oodles of money on professional style pots. Well, one day stacy decided to boil water to made tea...needless to say, she forgot all about and burned a hole through is really of expensive pot...she's not allowed in the kitchen any more now!
Wow, u learn something every day. Last week I learned after a long night of partying, not to grab a sheet tray out oven with out those ever important oven mits.Dont ask me why I had leftover spaghetti on the same tray as a banana.Good article
Thanks Janet. May just use that we help me with rice cooking!
My husband says I cook everything like you boil water. I turn it on high then go make a phone call, or take a bathroom break or get talking to a neighbour outside. Julia Childs, I'm not, but I can boil water! Funny article Janet!Thanks, Brianna. I enjoy your articles, too.
Thank you, it helps me very lot. Is it Okay to leave the water in the bottle while we doing this?
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