Don't Boil When You Should Simmer — It Breaks Food Apart

A vigorous, rolling boil is for pasta water and blanching vegetables. But soups, stews, sauces, and braises need a gentle simmer — small, lazy bubbles breaking the surface occasionally, not a churning cauldron.

Too much heat makes meat tough and stringy, breaks delicate vegetables into mush, and turns clear sauces cloudy. Once your pot reaches a boil, reduce the heat until you see just a few bubbles rising slowly. This is where flavor develops — low and slow, not fast and violent. If your lid rattles, the heat is too high.