Heat Control
Low and Slow Simmer
Hold the pot just under a boil for a long time. Tough meat turns soft and the broth stays clear.
Key Points
Boil once, then lower the heat immediately. Aim for bubbles only at the pot edge. Set a timer for sixty minutes and leave it alone.
Common Failures
A rolling boil makes the broth cloudy and the meat stringy. Lifting the lid every few minutes drops the temperature and adds time.
Do this
Bring the pot to a boil once. Then drop the heat until only a few bubbles rise at the edge. Keep it there for an hour.
Why it works
Collagen turns into gelatin around 70C to 80C. A rolling boil pushes past that and squeezes water out of the muscle instead.
When to skip it
Skip it for lean chicken breast. There is no collagen to convert, so long heat only makes it dry.
