bring to a simmer

Meaning

This culinary instruction means to heat a liquid until it is almost boiling, characterized by small, gentle bubbles breaking the surface occasionally rather than a rapid boil. It is used when cooking sauces, soups, or stews slowly to blend flavors without burning the ingredients.

Examples

• First, bring the tomato sauce to a simmer before adding the herbs.

  First, bring the tomato sauce to a simmer before adding the herbs.

• You need to bring the milk to a simmer, but make sure it doesn't boil over.

  You need to bring the milk to a simmer, but make sure it doesn't boil over.

• Once you bring the soup to a simmer, cover the pot and lower the heat.

  Once you bring the soup to a simmer, cover the pot and lower the heat.

• Bring the chicken broth to a simmer and let it cook for twenty minutes.

  Bring the chicken broth to a simmer and let it cook for twenty minutes.

• The recipe says to bring the mixture to a simmer while stirring constantly.

  The recipe says to bring the mixture to a simmer while stirring constantly.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ Bring the soup to simmer.

  ✓ Bring the soup to a simmer.

  'Simmer' acts as a noun here, so it requires the indefinite article 'a'.

• ✗ Boil the sauce to a simmer.

  ✓ Bring the sauce to a simmer.

  'Boil' and 'simmer' are different heat levels. You 'bring' a liquid to a simmer, you do not 'boil' it to one.

Related Expressions

Practice

• After adding the spices, ___ the mixture and let it cook slowly.

  💡 Heat until gentle bubbles form.

  Show answer

  bring to a simmer

• You should ___ the broth before adding the noodles.

  💡 Heat to just below the boiling point.

  Show answer

  bring to a simmer