Fill your skillet with about 1/2-inch of water and bring the water to a boil. Make sure you don't use more water, otherwise the broccoli will boil rather than steam, making for soggy results.
If you don't have a steamer, you can simply put the broccoli directly into an inch of boiling water, but keep a close eye on it and remove the broccoli from the pan as soon as it's done so it doesn't get waterlogged.
If the stem is soft, it has begun to spoil. Jackson also says to avoid eating any florets that have become mushy. The smell test is also an easy one because broccoli tends to give off a very unpleasant odor once it's gone bad. If the broccoli no longer smells fresh, you'll know immediately and shouldn't consume it.
Steaming. Steamed broccoli and cauliflower come in handy for a variety of purposes. Cook them ahead of time and reheat as either a simple side dish or an ingredient in a casserole. Puree pre-cooked, steamed broccoli or cauliflower for use in soups, pestos or sauces.
Broccoli and Cauliflower: Can be washed and cut into florets 2 to 3 days in advance. Store in a sealed bag or container with an airtight lid in the refrigerator.
If your broccoli is starting to look a little sorry, try this: Trim about 1/2 inch from the base of the stalk and set the stalk in a glass of cold water; refrigerate overnight. It should perk right back up.
As the veggies hit the boiling water, volatile acids are released into the water and are carried away in the steam. When the pot is covered, the steam and the acids it contains are forced back into the water. Once there, the acids react with the chlorophyll in the vegetables, turning them an unsightly shade of brown.
But leaving it unwrapped exposes your broccoli to dry refrigerator air, which will quickly make it wilted and limp. So let it "breathe" by keeping it loosely wrapped in an unsealed plastic bag. If your bunch is wet from the supermarket mist, dry it off as much as you can before storing.
Stir-frying and stir-frying/boiling, the two most popular methods for most homemade dishes in China, cause great losses of chlorophyll, soluble protein, soluble sugar, vitamin C, and glucosinolates, but the steaming method appears the best in retention of the nutrients in cooking broccoli.
Add broccoli florets to a large, microwave-safe bowl along with 3-4 tablespoons of water. Cover the bowl with a large plate and microwave for 1 ½ – 2 minutes on high power. You'll know the broccoli is done when it turns bright green and can be easily pierced with a fork. Serve immediately.
The technique is simple: fill a medium pot with 1/2 inch of water, place three golf ball–sized balls of aluminum foil on the bottom, rest a heat-proof plate on top of the foil balls, cover the pot, and bring the water to a boil. Add vegetables to the plate, cover, and steam until crisp-tender.
Don't be tempted to just throw everything in the steamer and bring the water to a boil. Add about 1 inch water to the bottom of the saucepan or pot, then place in the steamer basket. The surface of the water should be just under the basket (so pour out water if you need to). Then bring it to a boil!
But as Emily Ho, an associate professor and researcher at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, tells The Salt, cooking broccoli too long destroys the enzyme that breaks down chemicals called glucosinolates into cancer-fighting agents.
The broccoli should be bright green and somewhat tender when you carefully remove it with a slotted spoon. Then immediately plunge it into the ice bath. What is this? This stops the cooking process and keeps your broccoli from getting overcooked, which could leave it looking mushy and tasteless.
Whether you're boiling or roasting, there's no need to cover the broccoli in the pot or in the oven. To keep that bright green color, boil in lots of water and do not cover the pot, which can turn the broccoli a dull brown-green.
What is this? When the broccoli head/crown turns mostly yellow or is brown it's past the point of being edible and should be thrown out or composted. This head of broccoli is a little too far gone to eat. Texture: If the broccoli stem or leaves start to get soft or wither it's time to toss.
Stash cooked broccoli in a shallow, airtight container, or securely wrap it in foil before storing it in the fridge. Properly stored, cooked broccoli will keep for 3 to 5 days.
Many restaurants roast or pan-fry their vegetable side dishes in bacon, butter, or other animal fat – or a mixture of these. Why? Because it makes veggies taste richer, more flavorful, and saltier than they would if you cooked them at home, which encourages you and other customers to keep coming back for more.
Use paper towels to remove excess water from the broccoli. This will bring up the temperature of the broccoli so the whole dish cooks evenly.
Add the broccoli florets to a steamer basket, and place it in a saucepan filled with 1 inch of water. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cover the pan. Let steam for 5 minutes, or until the broccoli is crisp-tender and bright green.
Cut into florets and rinse them in cold water. To cook: Broccoli can be boiled, steamed or stir-fried, it is easy to overcook - it should still retain its bright green colour when cooked and should have a little 'bite'. The cooking time will depend on the size of the florets and your personal taste.
Steamed broccoli may be one of the healthiest ways to cook broccoli because it's quick and nutrients and vitamins won't be lost in the cooking water, as can be the case with boiled broccoli.