How do you cook your asparagus?

AKosky585

I am obviously doing something wrong here. Every time I cook asparagus, it just doesnt turn out right. It is shriveled, hard in spots and mushy in the thinner spots. What I do is bake it at 350 degrees for 12 minutes...sprinkled with a little garlic and drizzled with some olive oil. My husband loves asparagus, but looked like he was in physical pain eating the stuff I made tonight, trying to eat it all. I cracked up laughing at his facial expressions...how could I be mad when it was awful?

So please, anyone....how do you cook your asparagus? ANYTHING has to be better than what I did. lol

oxavecamourxo

That is how I cook my asparagus...lol I just don't use the garlic. Maybe it's the asparagus you're using?? I don't know... That's strange that it turned out like that...

tczaja

I cook mine in a non stick pan with a little butter substitute, season to taste and cook it until it is bright green and slightly softened. It only takes a few minutes and comes our perfect every time!!

Meeko1971

I love Love LOVE them grilled... indoors or outdoor, it's yummy..

A grill pan is your best friend in the winter. I have a mister that put olive oil and lightly spray the asparagus and then add lemon pepper. Cook over a med to med-high heat. I also put a tinfoil covered brick on top and cook just until tender.

Good luck!

Jo_Bird

you might try buying the steamfresh asparagus, 5 minutes in the microwave and it's done.

sprinkies

i steam mine and then put a lil soy sauce and garlic over it. i've never had bad asparagus cooking it that way. do you break off the hard parts of the asparagus? you're supposed to bend it and where it snaps off at the end you throw away.

ajbeans

Did you break off the stems before you cooked them? You might want to just not cook them so long -- just roast them until they turn bright green, so they'll still have some fresh crunch but not be too tough.

merrillfoster

I coat it in olive oil/sea salt and then either grill or sautee it. Comes out perfectly pretty much every time.

aippolito1

Cover the bottom of a glass pan with olive oil and just break your asparagus at their weakest point (bend and they'll break naturally where they should) and lay them all down flat. I like to sprinkle some lemon pepper on top and bake on 350 for about 15-20 minutes.

oxavecamourxo

i steam mine and then put a lil soy sauce and garlic over it. i've never had bad asparagus cooking it that way. do you break off the hard parts of the asparagus? you're supposed to bend it and where it snaps off at the end you throw away.

You are??? I didn't know that... My husband and I just eat the whole thing. lol

BigBoneSista

did you cut off the bottoms and peel the stocks? Some people don't thats why I'm asking. I baste mine in olive oil and season then I grill them on the stove top until they are tender.

MyWishfulShrinking

I roast them. I set the oven to 400 and while it's pre-heating I cut the hard ends off the asparagus, toss it in a bit of olive oil and garlic powder and put them into the oven until they are the tenderness I like .

RMinVA

I am obviously doing something wrong here. Every time I cook asparagus, it just doesnt turn out right. It is shriveled, hard in spots and mushy in the thinner spots. What I do is bake it at 350 degrees for 12 minutes...sprinkled with a little garlic and drizzled with some olive oil. My husband loves asparagus, but looked like he was in physical pain eating the stuff I made tonight, trying to eat it all. I cracked up laughing at his facial expressions...how could I be mad when it was awful?

So please, anyone....how do you cook your asparagus? ANYTHING has to be better than what I did. lol

Maybe a silly question, but are you using fresh or frozen? I only use fresh. I make it the same way that you do. But I roast it @ a higher temp - 400 - for a shorter period of time. Make sure you remove the bottom inch or so of the stalks, spread it out in a single layer, and "turn" the spears about half way through the cooking cycle. You can also grill it (EVOO and a pinch of salt) or just steam it. However you cook it, if you like it a bit crispy, it's done when it turns bright green.

darwintheboxer

The skinnier the better, in my opinion. The really thick asparagus can have really tough outer skin, especially near the bottoms. Sometimes I steam my asparagus, for a pasta topping I cut it into 3 inch lengths and saute it with other veggies in olive oil, and sometimes I BROIL it with olive oil (probably 5-6 minutes tops but I'm not positive). I've never tried baking it. Broiling is probably the toughest to get right, it can burn and shrivel quickly. With the other methods, I just taste test to make sure it isn't under or overcooked. Nothing worse than limp and mushy green vegetables in my opinion. The asparagus should be a bright green color.

ETA: I guess the way I broil asparagus it is similar to roasting.

randilea

Snap off the ends and then I boil mine for about 7 minutes or until the are tender but still have a little snap to them when you bit into it.

HW2Hottie

I steam mine or grill, in or out! Try one of those steamer bags for your microwave.

emma44ny

I toss mine with a little bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and a little fresh parmesean cheese and broil it for like 10-12 minutes... Super good!

aeragusa

They come out mighty tasty in a Foreman grill - little bit of lemon juice, salt and pepper

kac7700

Temp is too low. Try 400 - 425.

velvettte

Like others said, you need to discard the bottom part, rather than bend them all individually I just cut off the bottom third. I also steam mine for 4minutes, then remove, and run for a second or so under cold water to stop the cooking process. Then you can season them any way you like!

I also found that adding snow peas at the 2minute mark has both asparagus and snow peas perfectly 'aldente'

SparkleShine

I actaully broil mine. You have to watch closly though and not too close the top. I put on the second rack down. I toss with a tttsp olive oil and a little lemon/pepper seasoning or garlic powder. Yummm....

Now I want some!

RosieB405

I just put them on the George Foreman and put a little butter on them after they come off and they are great!

gbtesq

Thanks for posting this. I bought asparagus for the first time yesterday for tomorrow's dinner and I was going to have to figure out what to do with it, too. :-)

ckmama

I break off the bottoms where they naturally break.

then put them on a cookie sheet/shallow baking pan.

I pour a little olive oil on them with some Balsamic vinegar (just a little) and sprinkle with salt. THen kind of toss them with my hands. Lay them out in a flat layer.

I broil them under the broiler until they are done to my taste and they come out great.

I can't eat mushy or steamed asparagus just can't do it.

Lisa__Michelle

I cook mine at 400 degrees for 7-8 minutes. I roll it in olive oil and sometimes sprinkle with a bit of grated parmesan cheese. I don't know why yours turned out shriveled BUT I do know that asparagas is either a hit or miss. You can get good ones or bad ones. You will know the difference because the bad ones can be stringy. I LOVE it thought and cook it all the time.

You have to snap off the bottoms though. Snap them and they will break where they are supposed to.

AKosky585

Thank you all SO much! I will definitely be trying some of these later in the week, and more next week! The lemon pepper sounds really good...will have to find that at the store!

katerinab

The only asparagus recipe I've had contains an insane amount of olive oil and salt so I don't cook them that way anymore, but I did come across a fabulous WW recipe for Asparagus Frittata the other day. It was really yummy and easier to cook than it looked.

baypathgradLyns

bump

laurabeth326

i simply steam mine - put it in a skillet on med hi temp with a tablespoon or so of water and cover it for about 3 - 7 minutes depending on how soft or crisp you like it.

LifeChef

If it's thin asparagus, I just saute in a little olive oil for just a few minutes. If it's thick asparagus I blanch it for 3-4 minutes then saute or bake. One thing about asparagus is you really have to cut off the woody ends. (wherever the stalk naturally breaks is where the woody end begins) And like artichokes, brussels sprouts and some other greens, if you overcook them it releases a sulfur and will spoil the taste. Good luck with your next batch of asparagus! :-)

godblessourhome

try this - http://everythingisbetterwithcheese.blogspot.com/2010/10/asparagus-rolls.html