How to Cook Asparagus Perfectly

One of my pet peeves is overcooked, mushy asparagus and I admit when I first made asparagus, it turned out this way.  After making a couple more attempts at cooking asparagus, I finally mastered it.

Asparagus should be tender yet crisp when it is cooked.  It can be grilled, roasted, pan fried, steamed or boiled.  I prefer boiling it.  To prepare the asparagus for cooking, snap the ends off first.  I do not cut the ends with a knife but I snap the end off with my hands.  Asparagus tends to have a certain spot on it that snaps off easily.  Once all of the ends have been snapped off each spear, drop them into a pot of boiling water and cook for about 3 minutes, a little longer if the spears are thick.  I always set a timer to keep track of the boiling time.  You can stick a fork into one of the spears to see if it is tender.


Once the asparagus has boiled enough, drain and serve immediately.  I like to serve asparagus with hollandaise sauce but you can eat it plain or with some butter.