I’m simmering some chicken bones right now and google says a simmer temp is between 180-205. My instant-read thermometer is registering 203 but there is zero bubbling, is my thermometer off or is this normal?
Simmer is just below bubbles I was taught! I made chicken stock from bones, used my thermometer that was calibrated so I know was working, also got around 204 and the surface just sort of glistens. No bubbles on the surface though!
Well that’s a relief to hear I didn’t waste 6 hours of simmering time. Appreciate the first hand experience!
It’s pretty normal. If it’s simmering there shouldn’t be bubbles breaking the surface. There’s no reason to think your thermometer is wrong though.
Well if I get botulism or something I’ll let ya know
Simmering without bubbles means one of these four:
- You’re measuring in Kelvin
- No water and only grease
- Temperature is lower than what you’re actually measuring
- Ambient pressure is too high. (You’re not in a diving bell, are you?)
Your temperature measurement is probably off. Either that, or the water evaporated long ago and you’re now only heating the grease.
There’s still about 2 litres of water in there. I am currently not in a submarine. I should call the Mythbusters.
So… 203 °F = 96 °C…
That’s right on the margin where bubbles are really inevitable. It you are heating the water in a very homogeneous way, and has a lid or some salt dissolved, it’s possible you don’t see any bubble. It’s not common, but hey, everybody sees a few uncommon things in their life.
Lid on and some salt in it. So no bubbles is considered normal for a simmer still?
If you measured the water temperature, the thermometer has a better measurement than the presence of bubbles or not. And it’s the temperature that is important, not the bubbles.
Thank you, I can sleep soundly tonight
My immediate guess is that the measurement is off (measuring pot temp instead of water temp, perhaps) or you’re at a really low elevation/there’s weirdly high air pressure? The former is far more likely than the latter, usually people only experience water boiling sooner than expected due to high elevation. It should absolutely be simmering at 203
100m above sea level, I’ve used both my instant read and leave in thermometers to check now, both say 203. Made sure not to touch the pot with the needles.
I’d just raise the temp slowly until it starts boiling. The only reason I can think it wouldn’t be simmering at that temp is that the water has been boiled off, but that’s almost certainly not the case here.
But I’ve never made stock before.
The problem with raising the temp is that I have an induction stove. It’s on the lowest setting now (L) and when I bump it up to the next setting (2) it is a full rolling boil even if I adjust the lid. There doesn’t seem to be any configuration to keep small consistent bubbles like the simmer setting on my old electric stove had.
I’ve measured the temp with my instant read as well as my leave in thermometer now and they do both say 203 but the zero bubbles is throwing me off.
I found with induction on low it would sit for some length of time then for a few seconds boil, then sit. Repeat. Didn’t seem to be a low power, it just made the period between energizing longer. Newer induction stoves are supposed to be better though. Have you tried a different sized pot to see if the change in thermal mass helps
It’s an ikea stove that came with the place so I’m not expecting the best quality or accuracy I guess. The broth is done and it’s late so I’ll have to give my smaller pot a try tomorrow. I should probably look into a better single burner induction plate that adjusts by the exact temperature in the future though.
