Simmering
Cooking food in liquid held just below the boiling point with gentle bubbles.
What You're Doing
Cooking food in liquid held just below the boiling point (85-95°C). Gentle bubbles occasionally break the surface, providing even, gentle heat.
Visual Cues
Look for these signs to know your technique is working:
- Small bubbles gently rising to surface
- Surface barely moving
- Occasional lazy bubble breaking through
- Steady, gentle steam
Why It Works
The gentle heat between 85-95°C is hot enough to cook food through but gentle enough to avoid breaking apart delicate ingredients. Collagen conversion and starch gelatinization proceed slowly for better texture.
Failure Modes
Avoid these common problems:
- Heat too high - becomes a boil, breaks food apart
- Heat too low - food doesn't cook through
- Not checking temperature - simmer can creep to boil
- Forgetting to stir - sticking on bottom
Requirements & Guidelines
- Maintain temperature between 85-95°C
- Occasional gentle bubbles at surface
- Stir periodically to prevent sticking
Recipes Using This Technique
Technical Details (CKL)
pot "stock pot" 4l
heat pot to 90C
apply "stock" to pot
apply "vegetables" to pot
wait 20min