Best way to cook fresh asparagus?

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I bought some fresh asparagus yesterday at the store to make with our dinner tonight. I'm going to grill some dry smoked sausage and baked potatoes. I've never made fresh asparagus before,I've always gone the lazy route (canned or frozen haha).

We did our turkey thing Saturday night.
 
Since you'll be grilling, try a light olive oil coating with a sprinkle of salt, pepper and garlic powder. Doesn't take long on the grill.
 
Cut the dead end off....the "purists have you bend the asparagus and let it snap at the "fresh" point...that's wasteful, you lose too much.

The "traditional" was is in a frying pan with about 3/4" of water boiling vigorously. Frying pan so it's all in the water at once. When done (minutes), serve on heavily buttered toast with salt and pepper.

Grill, as per Edward C is very very good.
 
I always cut the bottom inch off. Then put about a tablespoon of olive oil and some oil based dressing (garlic expressions or Aldi's House Vinegarette) and then add some pepper. Using a cast iron skillet generally makes it taste better. Doing it on the grill is great as well.
 
Originally Posted By: EdwardC
Since you'll be grilling, try a light olive oil coating with a sprinkle of salt, pepper and garlic powder. Doesn't take long on the grill.
Yes I agree this will be best just keep on till about fork tender.
 
I had grilled asparagus at Chili's recently and it was out of this world!! When you grill it,do you cook it over the flame,or off to the side using "indirect heat"? Maybe baste with melted butter?
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Cut the dead end off....the "purists have you bend the asparagus and let it snap at the "fresh" point...that's wasteful, you lose too much.

The "traditional" was is in a frying pan with about 3/4" of water boiling vigorously. Frying pan so it's all in the water at once. When done (minutes), serve on heavily buttered toast with salt and pepper.

Grill, as per Edward C is very very good.

Happy birthday Shannow!! Thanks for the tip about cutting the dead ends,I would've never known to do that.
 
Cut off the thick/woody ends.

Cover them in olive oil and a bit of salt.

Cook them briefly on a very hot grill.
 
Originally Posted By: EdwardC
Since you'll be grilling, try a light olive oil coating with a sprinkle of salt, pepper and garlic powder. Doesn't take long on the grill.


This ^^

Absolutely delicious.
 
Originally Posted By: Bandito440
Cut off the thick/woody ends.

Cover them in olive oil and a bit of salt.

Cook them briefly on a very hot grill.


In my experience:
its also important to have the right size asparagus.

The really thin twiggy ones dont grill as good as the "thin-medium" size(diameter)

the reallly thick ones you have to peel or pre boil.

If all you can get is very thin.. spread with some olive oil and grill on medium.. also season to taste.
 
Originally Posted By: EdwardC
Since you'll be grilling, try a light olive oil coating with a sprinkle of salt, pepper and garlic powder. Doesn't take long on the grill.
This way is great.
 
Spread them out in a single layer in a casserole dish, add about 10 pats of butter spread across the top, sprinkle generously with grated Parmesan cheese, cover and microwave for 10 minutes. Fantastic!
 
I love asparagus despite the aftereffects.

Great story about Babe Ruth...he got paid to attend fancy parties after he was bought by the NY Yankees and turned the whole sport of baseball on its ear by outhomering entire teams by himself. His agent (the first of his kind in the sport) would also be present to make sure the rather rough hewn Babe, who was raised in an orphanage/reform school and earned his nickname from knowing very little about how proper adults acted, behaved himself.
The matronly hostess at one such swank affair offered the Babe a plate of asparagus and he replied with something like, "Oh, no thank you, ma'am, it looks wonderful but I don't eat asparagus because it makes my urine smell."
Ruth's agent collared him shortly after that and informed the Babe that he could not say such a thing in polite company!
Babe got his dander up and roared at the agent, "Whaddya talking about, I said "urine", didn't I?!?!?!"
;^)
 
Originally Posted By: Rand
Originally Posted By: Bandito440
Cut off the thick/woody ends.

Cover them in olive oil and a bit of salt.

Cook them briefly on a very hot grill.


In my experience:
its also important to have the right size asparagus.

The really thin twiggy ones dont grill as good as the "thin-medium" size(diameter)

the reallly thick ones you have to peel or pre boil.

If all you can get is very thin.. spread with some olive oil and grill on medium.. also season to taste.


so size does really matter eh?
 
Originally Posted By: EdwardC
Since you'll be grilling, try a light olive oil coating with a sprinkle of salt, pepper and garlic powder. Doesn't take long on the grill.


This or grill in oven. I like squeezing some fresh lemon juice on it and than add a bit of salt and pepper on it.
 
We usually have asparagus as a side dish to fresh cooked fish. I prefer to cook fish on the stove top in a pan. Usually do the fish first & then toss in the asparagus afger the fact. Cut off the woody inch. Use a good olive oil or butter. Once the rich green colour appears, toss in an amount of vinager (different types of vinager can be tried) or lime or lemon juice to deglaze the pan. Only then do I add a bit of kosher or sea salt. Never fails to please the critics (that would be family).

My eight year old son then looks forward to advising all & sundry when "My pee stinks stinks really good!" True story.

John.
 
Like said above, you need to cut the bottom woody parts off. I prefer the snap method. Just grab the bottom and snap it off. It breaks perfectly at the seam between woody and non-woody.

Soak it in water for a few minutes. The amount of pesticides and dirt that falls off is eye opening.

Olive oil,salt, pepper, garlic (I use fresh, from a garlic press), and some parmesan cheese. Grill it indirectly or in the oven at 425 for 10-12 mins. Made a large batch with tonights dinner, all of it was gone at the end.

My other favorite recipe is to baste it with teriyaki sauce, and broil it. Delicious fan favorite here! I'll sometimes add some fresh ginger (garlic press comes in handy again) for a nice touch.
 
Freshness is most important. In season, we hunt the wild asparagus along the irrigation banks around us in Northern NM. Lightly boiled in a pan and served with butter. yuum
 
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