Butter Poached Asparagus

If you like asparagus you will LOVE this stupid simple butter poached recipe. Poaching is basically boiling at a lower temperature (160-180 F).  Butter poaching is merely adding some butter to your cooking liquid for added flavoring. This is always so good and such a big hit that I rarely ever have any leftovers. Poor me :(



Asparagus is actually really easy to cook though if not prepped you will have these hard inedible ends. No bueno. Fortunately you don't need any special tools. You literally hold the asparagus towards the base and snap! The inedible ends pop right off at the exact spot needed. If for whatever reason you prefer to cut them off and have never prepped asparagus before, snap the ends off of one to get a better idea how much is actually waste verses yummy edible veggie. Once you have a better sense then you can absolutely line them all up and cut the same inch (give or take some) off the ends of your spears. 

Before and after pic

This is a side dish so how much asparagus you need is directly dependent on how much you love asparagus. My family of 5 will eat 2 pounds of asparagus with no problem. If you have a leftovers, this reheats well. 

Ingredients

• 2 pounds asparagus 
• 1 cup water
• 1 sticks of butter
• 3 tsp salt or to taste

 

UTENSILS YOU NEED:

• 9x13 baking dish
• Cutting board
• Knife

Directions 

• 
  
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Prep your asparagus. I buy mine in these large packages from Sams Club. I do not toss the bags right away and instead keep it around for my trash. 
3. Once the ends are snapped, place in you baking dish and add 1 cup of water.
4. Cut your stick butter in about 1/2 inch increments and place on top of asparagus as shown and salt.                                          
5. Cover with tin foil.                                   
6. Place on center rack in oven for 30-45 minutes. If you have thin spears you really want to start checking doneness at 30 minutes. I get these larger spears that typically take closer to 45 minutes to cook.
7. When timer goes off, test doneness with a fork. You want them to be tender and easy to spear but not so cooked they are baby food tender. 
8. Serve up and enjoy!!                                                                                      *pictured is Mexican Meatballs over white rice with butter poached asparagus