Heat
How to simmer
Cook liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles breaking the surface now and then.
Step by step
- Bring the liquid up over medium-high heat.
- As soon as bubbles rise steadily, turn the heat down.
- Adjust until only a few small bubbles break the surface every second or two.
- Stir now and then and check that it hasn't crept back to a boil.
How you know it's done
You see lazy, small bubbles, not a rolling boil. A "bare" simmer has just a bubble here and there.
Common mistakes
- Letting it boil, which toughens meat and can split cream sauces.
- Covering the pot completely when the recipe wants it to thicken.
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And 54 more recipes.
In those recipes the word is underlined in the steps; tap it for the short version. In hands-free cook mode, ask “How do I simmer?”