Steaming, poaching, simmering, and boiling — both novice and experienced home cooks frequently find these terms confusing. All of them refer to cooking food using heated water, but at different ...

Learn how to achieve a rolling boil and when to use this essential technique. Oskanov / Getty Images One day, our ancestors learned that fire creates heat—and we’ve been boiling water ever since.

Key Points Simmer pots work best when the cold water is heated to a gentle simmer—never a rolling boil.Most ingredients can ...

Eggs should be poached in barely simmering, salted water with a splash of vinegar added. Use the freshest eggs possible for tidy poached eggs; using older eggs can lead to stringy whites. To make ...