How to Boil Okra

Boiling okra is often required as part of a larger recipe--or you can eat boiled okra alone. It's truly up to you. The process of boiling okra is rather easy, as the only real tricky part is determining when your okra is fully cooked.

Things You'll Need

• Okra
• Vinegar
• Bacon drippings

Instructions

1. Clean your fresh okra thoroughly to remove all dirt and grime that comes with growing the vegetable. Wash the vegetables with water and even a vegetable washing rinse if possible.

2. Put enough water in a pan to cover the okra that you are boiling. Bring this water to a boil. Add about 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the boiled water. The vinegar can help bring out some of the natural flavorings in the okra that otherwise would be left behind without the vinegar.

3. Place the okra in the pan. After about 8 to 10 minutes, check whether the okra is tender with a fork. You want to reach a level of tenderness in the okra. The okra is done when the vegetable is soft, yet not mushy.

4. Place about 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in the boiled okra pan. This is to add a nice flavor to your side dish. If you are planning on using the okra as part of a larger dish, you may decide to not add the bacon drippings.

5. Remove the okra from your pan, and serve it as your side dish, or add the okra to the other dish that you're preparing.