Basics of steaming vegetables

[Fat Guy]

Throughout the winter, I've been steaming Brussels sprouts routinely as part of family dinner. I don't do a lot of steaming, but it's such a simple way to make Brussels sprouts that it has become the default. Using the pot I use, with one of those collapsible metal steamer baskets, if I put 16 ounces of cold water (it so happens that there's always a 16-ounce cup on the counter -- it's not like I'm really measuring the amount out) in the bottom, add the Brussels sprouts, put on the lid and turn the burner to high, I have nicely cooked Brussels sprouts in almost exactly 15 minutes every time.

This is a prize-winning photo of the setup I've been using:

Brussels sprouts, however, are quite forgiving. And now that they're becoming less available (not to mention we're sick of them), I'm probably going to start steaming other vegetables.

Do you all think we could have a mini-clinic on steaming vegetables? I have a few questions to start with:

- Is it worth my while to get a dedicated steamer, as opposed to the collapsible basket in pot that I use now?

- If so, what's the best setup and also one that's cheap -- I'm not going to buy a $200 All-Clad pot with steamer insert.

- What are some good candidates for steaming (other than Brussels sprouts)?

- What are the best tips and tricks for getting the vegetables to come out well?

- Are there ways to improve the flavor of steamed vegetables? Would it make a difference if I used something other than water? Is there a way to season what you're steaming, either before or during, or is there a best way to do it after?

[rooftop1000]

I steam all my veggies...ok brocolli in a big pyrex measuring cup in the microwave. Tuck them in floret up and run water over them, then dump the water and cover with a saucer. Nuke for about 2 min. Tonight I then tossed them in a fry pan with garlic, butter, sesame oil and sesame seeds.

tracey

[Marlene]

I steam a lot of veggies, but I think you're going to have to get your flavour from finishes. Broccoli steams well and takes about 12 minutes. Green beans take about the same, finish with a lemon, butter and toasted almond mixture. Carrots also steam well, but take longer. Finish with a little honey butter. Darn near any veggie steam well, like asparagus, but then asparagus is better roasted. And your set up is fine. I used a steamer like that for years. If you're going to saute veggies, then you're better off blanching them first.

Edited April 19, 2007 by Marlene (log)

[alwang]

Personally, I think a lot of the vegetables described (broccoli, string beans, etc.) are better served doing a saute-steam, which is almost the default chinese way to cook vegetables. Stir fry the veggies quickly in a little oil with your seasonings, then pour a cup or so of water in the pan, cover, and steam for a few minutes. I find it easier, quicker, and tastier.

The only things I regularly steam are whole corn and certain root vegetables when I'm making purees. I find my pasta insert for my stockpot works pretty well, since there's a few inches between the bottom of the insert and the bottom of the pot.

[William Higham]

If you are in a steaming mood, I'd recommend potatoes. I think the end results is marginally better than boiled - and I find the process easier to control and monitor precisely. The advantage of some dedicated steamer pans is having two trays, and, if you find rose petal steamers as fiddly as it do, have steamer tray robust enough not to tip sprouts around the kitchen...

[Fat Guy]

rose petal steamers

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So that's what they're called!

[CaliPoutine]

Personally, I think a lot of the vegetables described (broccoli, string beans, etc.) are better served doing a saute-steam, which is almost the default chinese way to cook vegetables.  Stir fry the veggies quickly in a little oil with your seasonings, then pour a cup or so of water in the pan, cover, and steam for a few minutes.  I find it easier, quicker, and tastier.

The only things I regularly steam are whole corn and certain root vegetables when I'm making purees.  I find my pasta insert for my stockpot works pretty well, since there's a few inches between the bottom of the insert and the bottom of the pot.

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This is just what I was going to say, but someone beat me to it.

I used to steam exclusively, but I know steam saute. I once overheard my MIL's sister say " That Randi really knows how to make vegetables". Sometimes instead of water, I'll shake things up and use stock.

Fine Cooking has some really great recipes for veggies, they did a long article on the steam/saute method.

[memesuze]

I steam a lot of veggies, but I think you're going to have to get your flavour from finishes.  Broccoli steams well and takes about 12 minutes.  Green beans take about the same, finish with a lemon, butter and toasted almond mixture.  Carrots also steam well, but take longer.

I hope you're counting from the minute you put a pot with the steamer, veggies, cold water and lid on the stove. I find broccoli takes about five minutes, green beans four minutes, and carrots vary depending on the width of the coin, usually about four to five minutes with a quarter-inch coin....but I don't start counting my minutes until the water is boiling. And since I'm using only enough water to come a bit below the bottom of the steamer, my water doesn't take very long to boil.

[Marlene]

I steam a lot of veggies, but I think you're going to have to get your flavour from finishes.  Broccoli steams well and takes about 12 minutes.  Green beans take about the same, finish with a lemon, butter and toasted almond mixture.  Carrots also steam well, but take longer.

I hope you're counting from the minute you put a pot with the steamer, veggies, cold water and lid on the stove. I find broccoli takes about five minutes, green beans four minutes, and carrots vary depending on the width of the coin, usually about four to five minutes with a quarter-inch coin....but I don't start counting my minutes until the water is boiling. And since I'm using only enough water to come a bit below the bottom of the steamer, my water doesn't take very long to boil.

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Yes I was counting from the time I put it on the stove.

[Toliver]

My mom uses her counter-top vegetable steamer.

To paraphrase Ron Popiel, she "sets it and walks away". Like Marlene, she has the timing down to a science and when the bell dings, she knows they're perfectly steamed. Of course, Alton Brown wouldn't approve since it's yet another appliance to clutter the countertop when your current method works so well. But it works for her.

[kbjesq]

My mom uses her counter-top vegetable steamer.

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I had one of those and used it for more than 15 years. It was great and very easy to use. The timer is handy, especially when you've got other items on the stove and/or in the broiler to watch.

The other thing that I liked about it was that it made perfect grains - rice (white and brown), millet, barley, oats, etc. I would usually add a bit of butter or sesame oil to the grains before steaming. Yum.

KBJ

[markk]

I steam a lot of vegetables, so let me add my two cents. The device that you're using works absolutely fine.

I like my veggies plain-steamed, because I generally serve them with somethng rich (i.e. fatty) and I think that the contrast, having a plain veg steamed with no fat, helps your mouth appreciate the rich or fatty part of the meal without sensing overkill, as if the veg re-sets your mouth each time. So I'm not in favor of the pan steam that uses fat.

But I do use the pan steam all the time for things like string beans that will cook quickly - and let me say that I like veggies "al dente". So for string beans, I'll put a half inch of water (maybe a little more - you'll learn to do it by eye) in a small skillet with a tight fiting lid, then I'll add the veggies and put the cover on, leave them simmer for a minute or two, and turn off the heat for a few minutes.

I also like that this give things such as string beans a 'gentle' steam - so as not to turn them to mush. I'll use a big pot with a steamer basked if I'm steaming yams or turnips, because they need the large amount of heat that comes from a big mass of boiling water under them. (For this I use a large Cuisinarts stockpot that has a steamer that rests in the top and has a domed lid.) I'll also steam a whole head of cauliflower that way, though if I break it up into small florets, I'm just as likely to put them in a small pan with a little water and steam them gently.

You will get a feel for this over time - I've been doing this for a very long time, so I just have a sense of it, but it's based on the density of the vegetable, and of course your cumulative experiences. And lastly, I find that when veggies still are on the "al dente" side of done, they retain a little more of their flavor - I actually don't like veggies as "crudites", but I don't like them much more cooked than that either. (Hope this ramble helps.)

[Shalmanese]

Here's somewhat of a culinary heresy: The best steaming is done in the microwave. Add 1/4" of water to the bottom of a container, fill it up with vegetables and let it rip on high for 3 - 5 minutes. They come out brilliant green, tooth tender and with better flavor IMHO than stovetop steamed vegetables.

[paulraphael]

i haven't noticed much difference between one steaming device and another. one that i like is a retired calphalon double boiler insert (i always just use a mixing bowl for double boiling) that i drilled full of holes. for bigger batches i have one of those pasta inserts that drops into a stock pot.

sometimes when i'm lazy i do it without any kind of insert ... just throw the veggies into a pan with a little simmering water. kind of like a high heat braise. the ones on the bottom get cooked a little more than the ones on top, but it all works out.

usually the reason i steam is for time/energy conservation. it's so quick to boil that small quantity of water. but in general i think i like the results of boiling better, if it's done correctly. i think boiling got a bad rap from people using too little water. if you treat the veggies like pasta and dump them into a big pot of raging, salted water, they cook so fast and stay incredibly crisp.

a boiling vs. steaming clinic would be interesting also ... see which veggies prefer which methods.

[deltadoc]

Throughout the winter, I've been steaming Brussels sprouts routinely as part of family dinner. I don't do a lot of steaming, but it's such a simple way to make Brussels sprouts that it has become the default. Using the pot I use, with one of those collapsible metal steamer baskets, if I put 16 ounces of cold water (it so happens that there's always a 16-ounce cup on the counter -- it's not like I'm really measuring the amount out) in the bottom, add the Brussels sprouts, put on the lid and turn the burner to high, I have nicely cooked Brussels sprouts in almost exactly 15 minutes every time.

This is a prize-winning photo of the setup I've been using:

Brussels sprouts, however, are quite forgiving. And now that they're becoming less available (not to mention we're sick of them), I'm probably going to start steaming other vegetables.

Do you all think we could have a mini-clinic on steaming vegetables? I have a few questions to start with:

- Is it worth my while to get a dedicated steamer, as opposed to the collapsible basket in pot that I use now?

- If so, what's the best setup and also one that's cheap -- I'm not going to buy a $200 All-Clad pot with steamer insert.

- What are some good candidates for steaming (other than Brussels sprouts)?

- What are the best tips and tricks for getting the vegetables to come out well?

- Are there ways to improve the flavor of steamed vegetables? Would it make a difference if I used something other than water? Is there a way to season what you're steaming, either before or during, or is there a best way to do it after?

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We do Brussels sprouts alot. We cross a deep "X" in the stem end. We use a pot and steamer basket. But 15 minutes seems like an awful long time. We usually steam them about 9 minutes testing with a fork so they're pierceable but not mushy.

We drain the pot dump the brussels sprouts back in with some butter, S&P, grated nutmeg, a little parmesan cheese and some fresh lemon juice. We never get tired of them.

ALTERNATIVES:

Steam some snap bean (Green beans) for about 10 minutes, and shock them in cold water.

Slice some fresh mushrooms, and saute in butter. Add some fresh lemon juice and lemon zest, S&P and then dump the drained shocked green beans back in until just heated up.

Yum!

Also steam carrots and fresh peas. We cut the carrots to be just about the size of the peas. An old favorite Peas & Carrots, but still as good as ever.

doc (Gotta go to a meeting!)

[infernooo]

Have to agree with the microwave + SMALL amount of water method (however this is only for green beans, asparagus, brocolli etc, NOT potatoes and the like). Retains more nutrition than any other methods, tastes just as good too.

[mizducky]

I too like to do super-quick steams in the microwave. I load a bunch of cut-up veggies into a clear Pyrex baker--sometimes I'll drizzle in a little liquid, sometimes I'll just go with the water clinging to the veg after I've rinsed it--put the lid on, and nuke for a few minutes. The lid holds in the liquid/steam; the clear Pyrex lets me judge by color whether the veg is done without taking the lid off and losing my head of steam. Yep, broccoli really takes to this kind of treatment, turning a brilliant bright green--but as soon as it hits that color, you need to whip the lid off and dissipate the steam and heat, or else it'll overshoot and lose that color. A quick shock with cold water helps.

I also use the collapsible petal steamer, even though, yep, it's a bit fiddly. And sometimes, just to be random I guess, I just fling the veg directly in the pot with about an inch of water, or the post-rinse water clinging to it, and put a lid on it and some heat under it--this last works best for tender fast-cooking leafy veggies.

I find I can get great control of cooking time, even when mixing veggies of different densities in one steamer, by varying the size of cut chunks of veg. Dense heavy veggies like carrots, turnips, and broccoli stems get cut in thin slices/pieces; faster-cooking veggies like broccoli florets can be left a bit bigger.

Mixing veggies can also impart some flavor to the whole, especially when the mix includes aromatics such as (sliced) onions. You can also get some flavor in during the steam by putting a couple of sprigs of herbs on top of all the other veg--as the whole mass steams, the steam condenses on the inside of the lid and then drips onto the herbs, infusing the herbal flavors into the veggies below. However, I find these flavor strategies can be pretty faint--it's more effective to do what others have already said, and season/sauce/flavor/etc. after the steaming step.

[qrn]

I'm glad the m/w folks posted, I was almost hesitant to post this...

I use a 1 gal. cheepo plastic baggie with little water in it and some salt. Then loosely twist the top of the bag and put it upside sown on a plate, and m/w . Then take the thing out and hold the top of the bag over the sink and cut off the corner of the bag so the water can drain.Open the bag and put a chunk of butter in and seal it up till serving...

Bud

[nickatbasel]

I have a few chinese bamboo steamers which I use for doing vegetables. I place the steamer in a pan with water upto just below the bamboo platform.

Rarely have a problem with vegetables being overcooked.

Cheers,

Nick

[Fat Guy]

I've been waiting for days for someone to mention bamboo steamers. Say more, please.

[scubadoo97]

Steven, I have the same collapsible metal steamer as you do. For most vegetables it works as well as a bamboo steamer but the bamboo works well for fish or similar protein because it's flat and you can do multiple steaming when you stack. I prefer the collapsible one for ease of use, the fact that it can accommodate different size vessels and it takes up little room when stored. BTW steamed Brussels sprouts are a personal favorite. Love them cold the next day too.

[mizducky]

I used to have the stackable bamboo steamers. It was definitely fun doing a whole dinner in that rig--veggies on one level, fish on another. However, I finally decided that, for my simple purposes at any rate, the bamboo steamers were more fun than practical for a couple different reasons:

--I was afraid putting food directly on the grid would cause flavors to penetrate the bamboo, so then I'd have to be lining each steamer level with paper or lettuce, or putting a plate in ... and the whole routine just became so fiddly that the bamboo steamer wound up languishing in a cabinet.

--You kind of have to put a plate or liner in anyway if you have small pieces of food that might slip between the bars of the grids.

--Using my wok as the water-holding container under the steamer meant that the just-boiling water would remove the seasoning from the wok. Some people do buy an extra wok just for steaming and other water-cooking methods just for this reason, but at the time I didn't have cabinet room for yet another wok (plus the bamboo steamer, etc.)

But if you've already got the multi-tier steamer, and a spare wok whose seasoning you don't mind sacrificing, they're definitely fun to play with. And if you need to steam a bunch of different things, or a lot of one thing, simultaneously, then I think the convenience of a multi-tier steamer definitely justifies the extra fiddlie-factor.