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peppercorn

Boiled Water Recipe


Boiling water is essential to many recipes. If you have never cooked before, don't worry. It is not as difficult as it may appear. This recipe will guide you through the process, even if you have never set foot in a kitchen.



Special equipment: 12-quart stockpot
INGREDIENTSserves 48, active time 5 minutes, total time varies
Water
PROCEDURES
Open your cupboard or wherever it is you store your cookware.
Locate a 12-quart stockpot. If you do not have a 12-quart stockpot, you may use whatever size pot you have; in that event, keep in mind that serving size here is 1 cup and there are 4 cups in a quart. Do the math.
Place your pot in the sink under the tap. If you have never used a sink before, it is the large depression in your counter top. (If you live with someone else, they may have filled it with dirty dishes; in this case, wash them or simply remove them from the sink and place them in the oven — someone else will eventually discover them there and wash them.)
Turn the cold-water knob to the "on" position. Some people (like my dad) prefer to let the water run a little bit. This is optional but encouraged — if it's a hot day or someone has previously used the "hot" water knob, the warmer water will eventually be replaced by truly cold water.
Fill stockpot to within a couple inches of the rim.
Lift stockpot from sink and transfer to stove. (Although appearances may vary, the stove is the thing with 4 or more circular metal bands on top of it; alternately, it may be a completely flat black glass surface. If you are unsure, ask your family, roommate, or neighbor for guidance.)
Find knob on stove that corresponds to the "burner" you have placed your pot on. In addition to words like "Right Front" or "Left Rear," there are usually little pictures near the knobs to indicate position.
Turn knob to "High" and wait until water boils. Depending on strength of your stove and amount of water, the boiling time may vary. Note: DO NOT WATCH THE POT; it will never boil in the event that you do.
Boiled water may be used for any number of applications. Serve hot but do not drink.
Alternate methods
Depending on water application, you may want to salt the water. Do this after the water has come to a boil.
Placing a lid on the pot will help it boil faster, with the additional benefit of blocking water from your line of sight, which, as stated above, inhibits the boiling process.

Comments:
I'd love to try this but have had trouble finding the ingredients locally. Anyone know a good online vendor of "Water"?
Grease at 11:33AM on 07/28/10



I prefer buying dehydrated water when I order it online. You save a lot of money on shipping and the quality is the same.

simon at 11:39AM on 07/28/10

How long would this keep in the freezer? Seems like a lot of work for just one serving.
Grease at 11:46AM on 07/28/10

"Turn knob to "High" and wait until water boils" is a potentially lethal instruction in the case of a gas stove. You may need to trigger the igniter, or make sure the pilot is lit. Please elaborate, and save lives.
kshay at 11:51AM on 07/28/10

@simon
I've tried dehydrated water and found it way too airy. Am I preparing it wrong?
Grease at 11:56AM on 07/28/10

So you boil water with the stove set to High? I'd be afraid of burning it.
jedd63 at 12:05PM on 07/28/10

I boiled water using this recipe and it came out wonderfully!
cjpenfield at 12:09PM on 07/28/10

Thanks, cjpenfield! Glad I could help.
I might talk to Kenji about getting him to do a Food Lab on sous-vide water.
Adam Kuban at 12:10PM on 07/28/10

@Grease - the key to dehydrated water is adding just enough water to get the consistency you need.
simon at 12:14PM on 07/28/10

@Adam. Sous-vide water sounds great! It could also probably be done with with the beer cooler hack. Seal the water in the bag, fill the beer cooler with boiling water... wait, my head is about to explode
Grease at 12:14PM on 07/28/10

@Adam - Having Kenji look into the sous-vide option is genius. I actually WOULD like to see him sous-vide a thermometer to prove that the water inside the bag is at exactly the same temperature outside the bag . . .
Mmmm . . . boiled water!
Mizbee at 12:20PM on 07/28/10

But what does the water look like once it's boiling?? How do I know when it's done??? I will never get this recipe right!
ell.victor at 12:27PM on 07/28/10

How do you know when it has been boiling long enough to use? Is it safe to use as soon as it boils, or shall I wait until it's been boiling for 2- 3 minutes? Longer?
Re the dehydrated water. What were the shipping charges?.
Shecooks at 12:27PM on 07/28/10

Has anyone else tried adding dried pasta to this recipe? A W E S O M E!!
cjpenfield at 12:28PM on 07/28/10

If you're ordering water online, make sure it has high levels of dihydrogen monoxide. These things aren't regulated, and a lot of vendors will try to get away with low levels that will make this recipe a lot more difficult.
hgram at 1:16PM on 07/28/10

I've found that after boiling water, cooling it overnight in the fridge can make for a refreshing summertime drink. Chilled boiled water is really great for hangovers too.
exflexitarian at 1:28PM on 07/28/10

Thanks for the recipe Adam. I usually get my boiled water from the deli, but this recipe makes it look super-easy.
I feel empowered!
SqueezeBottle at 1:51PM on 07/28/10

@hgram: Are you freakin' crazy? DHMO is nasty stuff. Get the facts here:Facts About Dihydrogen Monoxide
jedd63 at 1:54PM on 07/28/10

Does adding the salt after it's come to a boil give it more flavor? Would adding salt before the boil take away from the tenderness of the water? Does this only apply to NY water? I know, I know, so many questions!
RossS at 1:55PM on 07/28/10

Certified organic water will boil cleaner than water out of the tap.
limelover at 2:00PM on 07/28/10

I just tried this and it was a little too rich for my tastes. I think I let it reduce a bit too much. This might be a bit too advanced for those of us without classical training.
Grease at 2:05PM on 07/28/10

@Grease: That can happen occasionally. Next time, just thin it out with a little water.
jedd63 at 2:08PM on 07/28/10

Since we're ont he subject of water and I have now put this in my recipe file, has anyone ever had to make cubed ice? I lost my recipe and since I have a freezer with an ice maker, haven't had the need for it, but you just never know when that'll break down.
Rozenjoze at 2:10PM on 07/28/10

This sounds like an excellent recipe for an up coming potluck I will be attending. Does it travel well?
chardonnay at 2:12PM on 07/28/10

@Rozenjoze: I usually just use icemaker cubes, too. I haven't made them from scratch in years. I guess I'm getting lazy.
As a side note, If you don't have liquid water, you can substitute ice cubes for it in the boiled water recipe. It takes longer, but the results are actually quite good.
jedd63 at 2:19PM on 07/28/10

@jedd63: Thanks for the tips!
I think I'm going to try this again this weekend. But I think I'm going to go without a pot, directly on a grill to get a smokier flavor.
Grease at 2:33PM on 07/28/10

Mmm, smoky, grass-fed, locally and sustainably raised bbq'd water. That says "summer" to me.
ell.victor at 2:36PM on 07/28/10

@Adam -- I'm in the middle of this recipe... HELP!!! You didn't say what level of boil to bring it to... until bubbles form, a rolling bubble, bubbles for X number of minutes.... I'm lost!!!! But I can't watch it because it will never boil. How much should the water reduce before being removed from the heat?

(thank goodness I have a hot water dispenser in my sink!)
MissBrownEyes at 2:44PM on 07/28/10

I'm thinking of making a big batch of boiled water this weekend. How long will it keep in the fridge? Can I freeze it?
cobaltblue at 2:59PM on 07/28/10

here's another tip:
if you have a thermometer, you can check your boling water's doneness.
the boiling water is done when your thermometer reads 212 degrees (100 Celsius) Fahrenheit at sea level.
andshewas at 3:21PM on 07/28/10

I tried this recipe and LOVED it!
Question:
If I'm trying the "PASTA" option, and I only want to make half of the pasta in the box, do I prepare HALF the amount of boiled water in your recipe?
LLucyD at 3:32PM on 07/28/10

If I don't have any water can I substitute something else for it?
Kennethw at 3:42PM on 07/28/10

Now all we need is Kenji to obsess over a perfect method for boiling water.
Big Guy at 3:45PM on 07/28/10

Btw, the oven may be filled with text books, rendering it ineffective for dirty dish storage.
lakesq at 3:59PM on 07/28/10

I do a gourmet version of this recipe, with filtered water.
salpico at 4:16PM on 07/28/10

The best thing about this recipe is that it works well in both reduced and multiplied quantities.
lexophile at 4:33PM on 07/28/10

I make my own water at home. Call me a food snob, but I can't believe some people buy it at the store.
ByrdBrain at 5:08PM on 07/28/10

I certainly hope this is locally raised and sustainable water you're all using!
AyeEat at 5:23PM on 07/28/10

This sounds like too much work. Where can I find some that has already been prepared and packaged?
soozm32 at 5:27PM on 07/28/10

@soozm32, god willing Rachel Rae will show us all an easier way to get this done.
AyeEat at 5:41PM on 07/28/10

The leftovers were just as good when reheated the next day. Thanks for sharing!
Gregg at 7:58PM on 07/28/10

Should I sear the water before I boil it to seal in the juices?
scarletini at 9:10PM on 07/28/10

@AyeEat, Semi-Homemade boiled water! Genius!!
soozm32 at 9:12PM on 07/28/10

I tried this recipe for dinner last night but it sounded way too bland so I left out the water and added some capers, aritichoke hearts, and white wine. I finished it off with some butter spicy dried pepper flakes.
It did not work out at all!! Two thumbs down! I will not be making this one again. What a dog!
NiamhAgain at 10:01PM on 07/28/10

Its always so hard to explain to my husband why I am cracking up while looking at the computer screen. He just doesn't get it!
suburbanfoodie at 10:48PM on 07/28/10

What no slide show?
stacemace at 2:03AM on 07/29/10

I thought this was Serious Eats! I can't believe a website that calls itself serious would ever recommend using tap water. If this was REALLY serious, you would make the water yourself! I can't believe you'd actually advocate using pre-mixed water instead of making it from scratch. Why??? C'mon people, there are only two ingredients, develop some kitchen skills! It's just hydrogen and oxygen, is it really that much harder to mix it yourself? BLAH!
cycorider at 6:43AM on 07/29/10

I found a way to make it even easier! I substituted single malt scotch for the water and then skipped the boiling part altogether. Fantastic!
Grease at 8:16AM on 07/29/10

This sounds like a Bobby Flay recipe I saw a couple of years ago called Agua Caliente.
WhatsCookin at 12:19PM on 07/29/10

After I remove the water from the stove should I let it rest to evenly redistribute the molecules?
bessfour at 1:04PM on 07/29/10

I've followed this recipe exactly, but for some reason the end results seem thinner and less flavourful than described above. Am I doing something wrong? Should I be using some sort of thickening agent?
amazon_ww at 2:40PM on 07/29/10

Hey, you guys. I'm down here in North Carolina--we deep fry our water and sprinkle powdered sugar on it! Mmmmmmm! Can't wait for the State Fair to roll around....
sushihaggis at 7:54PM on 07/29/10

Is it possible to sous vide water? I have company I need to impress.
Cookbook_Junkie at 12:14PM on 07/30/10

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