To lid or not to lid?
I'm currently making a plain chicken broth with the carcasses. It's currently at a low simmer and will be for the next few hours.
If I place a lid on the pot, will it affect the clarity of the broth somehow? I have in the back of my mind that placing a lid can make it cloudy for some reason, but I'm not sure if my mind is making up things or if this is a cooking myth or if it is actually the case somehow.
Leaning towards either cooking myth or my brain making things up again.
Best Answer
What makes it cloudy is a vigorous boil. You want to have a gentle simmer. If you put a lid, it can certainly make it boil (the temperature will be higher, as it has less heat exchange), so it's not a myth.
You are the one who knows what temperature your pot reaches after hours with and without lid. If your temperature is so high that a lid will cause it to boil, leave without the lead. If the temperature is so low that without a lid, it might get too cold to simmer and head towards the danger zone, use the lid. Only your experience with the exact same setting on the exact same stove, the pot you are using and the amount of liquid in it can help you predict how hot it will be.
If you are there to watch the pot and adjust it now and then, then just adjust as needed.
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Quick Answer about "To lid or not to lid?"
Cooking a soup, stew, or sauce uncovered allows water to evaporate, so if your goal is to reduce a sauce or thicken a soup, skip the lid. The longer you cook your dish, the more water that will evaporate and the thicker the liquid becomes—that means the flavors become more concentrated, too.Should I cook soup covered or uncovered?
Leaving the lid off will make liquid evaporate faster, potentially creating a thicker and more flavorful soup. Leaving the lid on reduces the rate of evaporation, and it's good when the soup ingredients are done cooking but the broth isn't quite rich (co-mingled) enough for your liking.Do you need a lid to steam?
The absolute best way to maintain the heat of steam is to keep the lid on your pot or steamer. That keeps the steam inside the pot so it can cook your food, as well as maintains the water level at the bottom.Does food cook quicker with the lid on?
But when you put a lid on, the heat stays in the pot. It helps cook your food faster. Less time cooking results in less energy used. So yes, putting a lid on your pots and pans while cooking does make your food cook faster, saving energy.Why do we close the lid while cooking?
It holds in steam. This increases the air temperature in the pan, which allows for more even cooking instead of just cooking the the food in contact with the pan. It also slows down how quickly the food drys out, and may have other secondary effects, such as how fat renders from a piece of meat.Spongebob - The Lid *Original HD*
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