A bright green stalk. Non-shriveled tips. Firm, not mushy. Try to get batches that have uniformly-sized stalks. That way they’ll all cook at the same rate.
Grasp the asparagus at the base and the middle. Bend it until it snaps naturally at the transition point between the tender and hard sections. Lay the broken stalk flat on a table. Line up the rest of the stalks alongside it to measure how much you’ll have to cut. Use a knife to cut off the rest of the ends simultaneously. For thicker pieces of asparagus, trim the bottoms of the stalks so they’re the same width as the top. This will ensure even cooking.
Wrap the stalks in a damp paper towel. Then seal them in a plastic bag and place in the refrigerator. Fill a cup or container with 1 inch of water. Place the stalks in the container with the base facing the bottom. Cover the top of the container with a plastic bag and place in the refrigerator.
Be sure to keep an eye on the asparagus to avoid overcooking it. Well-cooked asparagus has a bright green color and a crisp texture. Overcooked asparagus is very mushy and turns a dark shade of green. If your asparagus starts getting dark, turn off the heat and remove it. [10] X Research source
If serving cold, you have to cool off your asparagus quickly so it doesn’t get mushy. You can do this by quickly placing the asparagus in a bowl of ice water. [12] X Research source
