I can’t believe I spent years avoiding cooking with water. Like many home cooks, I thought roasting and frying were the only ways to get tasty results. But I’ve discovered something that has completely changed how I cook. Water – yes, plain old tap water – might be the most underrated cooking method in your kitchen. It’s not just for boiling pasta. From perfectly tender chicken to amazingly juicy steak (yes, steak!), water cooking could be the game-changer your weeknight meals need.
Water keeps chicken juicy and tender
Have you ever cooked chicken breasts that turned out dry and tough? I used to think that was just how chicken breasts were until I tried poaching. Poaching is simply cooking food in water that’s hot but not boiling. When you poach chicken, especially breasts, the gentle heat of the water cooks the meat evenly without drying it out. The result is incredibly tender, juicy chicken that’s perfect for salads, sandwiches, or eating right away.
The best part about poaching chicken is how easy it is. Just fill a pot with enough water to cover your chicken, add some salt, bring it to a simmer, and add your chicken. Turn the heat down so the water is barely bubbling, cover, and cook until the chicken reaches 165°F inside. The water creates a moist environment that keeps the chicken from drying out, unlike when you bake or grill it. You can also add herbs, garlic, or lemon to the water for extra flavor without adding fat.
Sous vide makes the perfect steak every time
Cooking steak in water sounds crazy, right? But it’s actually one of the best ways to get perfectly cooked meat from edge to edge. The technique is called sous vide, which means “under vacuum” in French. Basically, you seal your steak in a plastic bag and cook it in a water bath held at a specific temperature. If that sounds fancy, it can be. But there are now affordable sous vide tools that make it easy to do at home. The water is heated to the exact temperature you want your steak to be—say 129°F for medium-rare.
The magic of cooking steak this way is that it’s impossible to overcook. The steak will never get hotter than the water, so it stays at exactly the doneness you want. After it’s done, you just need to give it a quick sear in a hot pan for that tasty browned crust. The result is steak that’s perfectly pink from edge to edge—no more gray bands of overcooked meat! Duck breast is another meat that benefits greatly from this water cooking method, giving you restaurant-quality results at home without sweating over a hot stove.
Poached eggs are easier than you think
If you’ve been paying $15 for brunch just to get those perfect poached eggs, I have good news. You can make them at home with just water! Poaching is one of those cooking methods that has a reputation for being hard, but it’s really not once you know the tricks. All you need is a pot of water and a bit of vinegar. The vinegar helps the egg whites set up quickly so they don’t spread out all over the pot. Bring the water to a gentle simmer—not a rolling boil—add a splash of vinegar, and create a little whirlpool with a spoon.
Crack your egg into a small cup first, then gently slide it into the center of the whirlpool. The swirling water helps wrap the egg white around the yolk for that classic poached egg shape. Cook for about 3 minutes for runny yolks, then lift out with a slotted spoon. The water cooking method gives you eggs with firm whites and creamy, runny yolks—perfect for topping toast, salads, or making eggs Benedict at home. And you’ll save a bunch of money compared to buying them at restaurants.
Fish stays moist when poached
Fish is one of the trickiest foods to cook. It goes from perfect to overcooked in seconds. That’s where water comes in handy again. Poaching fish, especially delicate varieties like salmon, helps keep it moist and tender. The gentle heat of the water cooks the fish evenly without drying it out or making it fall apart. And unlike frying or grilling, poaching doesn’t add any extra fat or create that fishy smell throughout your house that lingers for days.
To poach fish, you can use plain water, but adding a bit of lemon, herbs, and salt makes a quick court bouillon (fancy term for flavored poaching liquid) that adds subtle flavor. Bring the liquid to a simmer, add your fish, and cook until it flakes easily with a fork. This usually takes just a few minutes. This method is not only better for preserving the delicate texture of fish, but it’s also virtually foolproof even for beginners. The water keeps the fish from drying out, resulting in perfectly cooked, moist fish every time.
Dried beans are worth the water wait
I used to only use canned beans because cooking dried beans seemed like too much work. But trust me, cooking dried beans in water is totally worth it. First off, they taste way better than canned—more flavor and better texture. Second, they’re cheaper. And finally, you control what goes in them, so no weird preservatives or too much salt. Yes, they take time, but most of that time is hands-off. Soak them overnight in water (or use the quick-soak method), drain, then simmer in fresh water until tender.
The slow cooking in water allows the beans to get tender without falling apart, and they absorb flavor as they cook. Add a bay leaf, garlic, or onion to the cooking water for extra flavor. Different beans need different amounts of time, but most are done in 1-2 hours. The texture of water-cooked dried beans is so much better than canned—they’re creamy inside with skins that stay intact instead of mushy all the way through. Once you try cooking dried beans in water, you’ll have a hard time going back to canned beans for your chilis, soups, and bean salads.
Ham becomes juicy when boiled
Cooking a whole ham can be scary if you’ve never done it before. But water makes it almost foolproof. Boiling a cured ham is one of the simplest ways to cook this meat, and it results in super juicy, tender slices that are perfect for dinner or sandwiches. The water helps keep the ham moist throughout the cooking process, and it also helps reduce the saltiness that some hams have. You don’t need any special equipment—just a pot big enough to hold your ham with enough water to cover it.
To boil a ham, simply place it in a large pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes per pound. The result is perfectly cooked ham that’s moist and tender. After boiling, you can glaze it and put it briefly in the oven if you want that sweet, caramelized exterior. This water-based cooking method is especially good for spiral-cut hams, which can easily dry out with other cooking methods. Boiling helps the ham retain moisture between all those pre-cut slices.
Better bagels start with a water bath
Have you ever wondered why bagels have that chewy crust that’s different from other breads? The secret is water! Before bagels are baked, they’re boiled briefly in water, usually with a little bit of honey or malt. This water bath is what gives bagels their distinctive texture and appearance. When the dough hits the hot water, the starches on the outside gelate (get thick and sticky), which creates that chewy, shiny crust after baking. Without the water bath, a bagel would just be a round piece of bread with a hole.
If you’re making bagels at home, don’t skip the water bath step! After shaping your bagels, let them rise, then drop them into boiling water for about 30 seconds per side. The longer you boil them, the chewier they’ll be. Some recipes call for adding baking soda or honey to the water, which changes the pH and helps develop that characteristic bagel crust. This same water-boiling technique is also used for pretzels, which is why they have a similar chewy texture. It’s amazing how something as simple as water can transform bread!
Save the water when you boil vegetables
When you boil vegetables like broccoli, carrots, or spinach, some of their vitamins and minerals leach into the water. Instead of pouring this nutrient-rich water down the drain, save it! This vegetable water has lots of good uses. One of the easiest is to use it as a base for soup. It already has vegetable flavor and nutrients, so it makes a much tastier soup than plain water. You can also use it to cook rice or other grains. The grains absorb the vegetable-infused water along with all those nutrients.
Other ways to use this valuable cooking water include making smoothies (just freeze it in ice cube trays first), brewing tea, or even watering your plants (once it’s cooled, of course). Using vegetable cooking water is not only good for you—it’s also good for the environment because you’re reducing waste. And it’s completely free! The next time you boil vegetables, let the water cool and store it in a container in the fridge for up to three days, or freeze it for later use. Your body and wallet will thank you.
Next time you’re planning dinner, think twice before reaching for the oven or frying pan. Water cooking—whether it’s poaching, boiling, or sous vide—might be exactly what your recipe needs. It’s often simpler, healthier (less added fat), and gives more consistent results, especially for tricky foods like chicken breasts and fish. Plus, clean-up is usually easier. So give water cooking a try. Your taste buds might be surprised at just how good “boiled” food can be!
