After the control of fire, which was almost certainly used for direct roasting, pit ovens and leather bag based boiling are probably the next developments in cookery. Both rely on a fire heating stones or rocks. For the pit oven, the fire and stones are heated in the bottom of a pit. They're then covered with grass and leaves, which generate steam. The meat is placed on top and the whole is buried. The heat from the fire and the steam cook the food. For boiling in a leather bag, the water and food to be cooked are placed in a leather bag. The hot stones are dropped in and these bring the water and the contents of the bag to a boil. As soon as the ingredients begin to cool drop in another stone... this being the original 'boil in a bag' meal. So, you can boil food long before the invention of pottery or metal working. Indeed, boiling was almost certainly being used as a method of cooking long before the advent of farming. It lends itself to the hunter-gatherer lifestyle as a leather bag is easy to make and light to transport. It can be used to cook seafood, shellfish, game meat and any vegetables or grains that are foraged.

As a method of disinfecting water, bringing it to its boiling point at 100°C (212°F), is the oldest and most effective way since it does not affect the taste, it is effective despite contaminants or particles present in it, and is a single step process which eliminates most microbes responsible for causing intestine related diseases. The boiling point of water is 100°C (212°F) at sea level and at normal barometric pressure. In places having a proper water purification system, it is recommended only as an emergency treatment method or for obtaining potable water in the wilderness or in rural areas, as it cannot remove chemical toxins or impurities.

The boiling point of water is typically considered to be 100°C (212°F; 373K), especially at sea level. Pressure and a change in the composition of the liquid may alter the boiling point of the liquid. High elevation cooking generally takes longer since boiling point is a function of atmospheric pressure. At an elevation of about one mile (1,600 m), water boils at approximately 95 °C (203 °F; 368 K). Depending on the type of food and the elevation, the boiling water may not be hot enough to cook the food properly. Similarly, increasing the pressure as in a pressure cooker raises the temperature of the contents above the open air boiling point (which is why pressure cooking reduces the time required to cook food).

The advent of fireproof pottery allows meals to be cooked by placing the cooking vessel next to the fire. Once metalwork is developed cooking pots can be suspended over a fire, which is why stews feature in so many cuisines. During Medieval times in Europe, boiling was a major way of cooking and both savoury and sweet dishes were boiled, becoming known in English as 'puddings'. This is why, in Britain at least, black pudding, haggis, steamed cakes, Christmas pudding etc are all known as 'puddings'.

Tea and Brewing: As boiling renders water potable and safe, it's interesting how this developed to produce safe drinks in Europe and Asia. In Europe, boiled water was used to make beer, the alcohol in the beer then keeping the water safe and bacteria free for a long time after brewing. In Asia, water was boiled and made into an infusion with green or fermented tea leaves, a drink intended to be imbibed immediately.

The alphabetical list of all the boiling-based recipes on this site follows, (limited to 100 recipes per page). There are 249 recipes in total:

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Aano Baraawe (Somali Caramel Fudge)      Origin: Somalia	Bouillon      Origin: Britain	Eight-treasures Sweet Rice Cake      Origin: China
Agidi (Fermented Cornflour Pudding)      Origin: Nigeria	Brabusko      Origin: Niger	Eliza Acton's Herodotus Pudding      Origin: Britain
Ailes de raie sauce au beurre noir (Skate wings with black butter sauce)      Origin: France	Bramborové Knedlíky (Czech Potato Dumplings)      Origin: Czech	Elys in Brewet (Eels in Bruet)      Origin: England
Aliter carduos (Artichokes with Herbs)      Origin: Roman	Brôn (Brawn)      Origin: Welsh	Erbowle      Origin: England
Aliter carduos elixos (Artichokes with Spiced Sauce)      Origin: Roman	c (Fondant Icing)      Origin: British	Farine Grits      Origin: Guyana
Aliter de Pullo (Chicken Forcemeat, Another Way)      Origin: Roman	Canarian-style New Potatoes with Mojo Sauce      Origin: Spain	Flancitos      Origin: Chile
Aliter Dulcia IV (Another Sweet IV)      Origin: Roman	Carduos (Artichokes with Egg)      Origin: Roman	Fonio and Oat Balls in Peanut Sauce      Origin: Fusion
Aliter in Apro (Wild Boar, Another Way)      Origin: Roman	Caribbean Burnt Sugar (Guyana Browning Sauce)      Origin: Guyana	Fonio Balls      Origin: Nigeria
Aliter in Locusta (Another Sauce for Lobster)      Origin: Roman	Carne Mechada (Venezuelan Shredded Beef)      Origin: Venezuela	For to boyle feasant partrychs capons and corlowe (How to Boil Peasant, Partridges, Capons and Curlews)      Origin: England
Aliter In Struthione Elixo (Of Boiled Ostrich, Another Way)      Origin: Roman	Carnel of Pork (Pork Flesh)      Origin: England	For to make pomme doryes and other thyngs (How to Make Golden Apples and Other Things)      Origin: England
Aliter Leporem Conditum (Another, Seasoned Hare)      Origin: Roman	Cepelinai (Lithuanian Meat-filled Potato Dumplings)      Origin: Lithuania	Francatelli Boiled Neck of Mutton      Origin: Britain
Aliter Leporem Elixum (Another, Boiled Hare)      Origin: Roman	Chewetts on fysche day (Chewetts for Fish Days)      Origin: England	Francatelli Boiled Round of Beef      Origin: Britain
Aliter Ofellae (Starters, Another Way)      Origin: Roman	Chicken Stock      Origin: Britain	Frankfurter Sausage      Origin: Germany
Aliter Ofellae II (Starters, Another Way II)      Origin: Roman	Chocolate-ginger Boiled Puddings      Origin: Canada	Fruit Dumplings      Origin: Ancient
Another Receipt for Gravy Soup      Origin: Britain	Christmas Ham      Origin: Ireland	Fumbyree (Shelled Barley Porridge)      Origin: Manx
Anserem Elixum Calidum ex Iure Frigido Apiciano (Boiled Goose, Served Hot with Cold Apician Sauce)      Origin: Roman	Chucula      Origin: Ecuador	Fungee      Origin: Antigua
Apple Kesari with Nutmeg      Origin: India	Chykenes in Grauey (Chickens in Gravy)      Origin: England	Gelee of fleche (Meat in Jelly)      Origin: England
Arequipe      Origin: Colombia	Chykenys in hocchee (Stuffed Chickens Cooked in Broth)      Origin: England	Gelee of fysche (Fish in Jelly)      Origin: England
Aros di Koko (Coconut Rice)      Origin: Dominica	Cig Dafad Mewn Dull Cig Moch (Welsh Mutton Ham)      Origin: Welsh	Gem Squash Starter      Origin: South Africa
Arroz con leche sin azúcar de absorción rápida (Sweet Rice Pudding, made by Rapid Absorption)      Origin: Spain	Clotted Cream Fudge      Origin: Britain	Grenada Rice and Peas      Origin: Grenada
Bacalao à la Gallega (Galician-style Salt Cod)      Origin: Spain	Consommé      Origin: Britain	Grenadan Dumplings      Origin: Grenada
Balloc Broth      Origin: England	Cornish Hog's Pudding      Origin: England	Gromperekniddelen (Luxembourger Potato Dumplings)      Origin: Luxembourg
Beef Steak and Kidney Pudding      Origin: Britain	Cossack's Asparagus      Origin: Russia	Gunpowder Plot Toffees      Origin: Britain
Black Liver Pudding      Origin: Ireland	Cracas      Origin: Cape Verde	Habas con Refrito (Beans with Refried Beans)      Origin: Ecuador
Bloms (Blom Meatballs)      Origin: France	Cuisson du Fonio à l'Eau (Fonio Cooked with Water)      Origin: Guinea	Haggis      Origin: Scotland
Boiled Alexanders Shoots      Origin: Britain	Czech Liver Dumplings      Origin: Czech	Hapai Hantue (Filled Buckwheat Dumplings)      Origin: Bhutan
Boiled and Fried Sea Kale Roots      Origin: Britain	Dominican Domplin (Dumplings)      Origin: Dominica	Hard Tack Figgy-dowdy      Origin: England
Boiled Collar of Bacon with Creamy Mustard Sauce      Origin: Ireland	Dressed Crab      Origin: Canada	Heicht mat Kraïderzooss (Pike in Green Sauce)      Origin: Luxembourg
Boiled Fiddleheads      Origin: American	Drisheen Sausage      Origin: Ireland	Herodotus' Pudding      Origin: Britain
Boiled Ham      Origin: Britain	Dulce de Leche      Origin: South America	Home-made Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix      Origin: Britain
Boiled Hogweed Shoots      Origin: Britain	Dulce de Leche con Frijol Tonka (Dulce de Leche with Tonka Bean)      Origin: Guyana	Horehound Candy      Origin: Britain
Bollan ny Houney (Hollantide Eve Supper-dish)      Origin: Manx	Dwmplinau Afal (Apple Dumplings)      Origin: Welsh	Hydrogarata Isicia sic Facies (Boiled Forcemeat with Fish-sauce)      Origin: Roman
Boudin Créole (Creole Black Pudding)      Origin: French Guiana	Easterledge      Origin: England
Boudin Créole Rouge (Creole Black Pudding)      Origin: Guadeloupe	Eba (Garri Swallow)      Origin: Nigeria

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