How Long To Boil Artichokes (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 30-40 Minutes

Cooking seems like an easy task but it is actually. It can be quite complex when you don’t know the right way or right duration to cook something. Be it any dish or food item, it must be cooked for the perfect duration of time to give a delicious taste.

Especially when you talk about boiling, no matter what food item it is, it must be boiled for the right amount of time or it would either be undercooked or overcooked. The same is the case when it comes to artichokes as well. When you boil it perfectly, it gives an amazing flavour.

How Long To Boil Artichokes?

Many people are not aware of what artichokes are. It is one of those food items that only a few people know about. Even those who know its name do not know the right way to cook it. But, those who eat artichokes like it a lot. 

It can be said that artichokes are thistle buds. It has leaves around it and in the middle, it has delicious and mild flesh that people love to eat. It doesn’t end here as it has artichoke’s heart as well at the bottom.

People love cooking artichokes as per their respective tastes. It can be steamed, roasted, boiled as well. Most people like boiled artichokes as after boiling the leaves become soft and the flesh and heart also get mild which gives a delicious taste.

Boiled artichokes are tasty for sure, but you need to boil them for the right amount of time. If you do not let it boil properly, it won’t become tender. On the other hand, if you boil it too much, it will become overcooked and all its flavours will be gone. 

If you want to enjoy the delicious flavour of boiled artichokes, you should boil them for 30 to 40 minutes. You just have to add artichokes into a pot with water, garlic, lemon, and salt and pepper, and cover it with a lid.

When you take out the artichokes after 30 to 40 minutes, they will be cooked well and be ready to serve. Just cook artichokes for the right duration and eat with some tasty dips and you will love it.

Why Boil Artichokes For That Long?

When you boil artichokes for the right amount of time, it gives an amazing flavour which gets destroyed when it gets overcooked. Moreover, when it is left undercooked it doesn’t give that mild taste.

Another reason why it takes this much time to boil artichokes properly is because of the weight it has. Whenever you buy artichokes, try to buy a heavy one as it is good. When you cook an artichoke that is lightweight, it may take less time to get boiled but it won’t have the same delicious taste. 

You should make sure that your artichoke has well-closed leaves and is not shrivelled. When the leaves are not perfectly closed, it might get cooked fast but the artichoke will get waterlogged. This way the taste of artichokes will get ruined.

You need to make sure that you wash the artichokes well before preparing them to get boiled. When it gets perfectly cooked the leaves will come out easily when you try to detach them for serving. If it doesn’t come out easily, it is a signal that it is not rightly boiled. 

Another reason why it takes this long for artichokes to get boiled is the way you prepare them for boiling. You must be well aware of the right way to cut it and put it to boil for that or your artichoke might take longer to get cooked.

When you cook artichokes for the right amount of time, nutrients remain in them and are good for your body and health. But, when you overcook it, its nutrients might get destroyed and you won’t be able to take any of them with the food. 

Conclusion

Artichokes are a good item about which only a few people know, and the right way to cook it seems confusing to many. Many people like boiled artichokes but most of them don’t know the right amount of time for which the artichokes should be boiled. 

You just need to prepare artichokes adequately and put them in a pot to boil with lemon, garlic and salt etc. Once you let it boil for 30 to 40 minutes, it will give a delicious taste that you are going to love for sure. Now that you know the right time duration to boil artichokes, it won’t be a difficult task anymore. 

References

1. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11130-015-0503-8
2. https://www.actahort.org/books/681/681_2.htm
3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092913931831521X