Why You Should Never Brew Saffron in Boiling Water

Saffron should always be ground first: grinding increases its surface area, so the color and aroma are released faster and more easily. But once it is ground, extract it right away — saffron's aroma compound (safranal) is volatile, and powdered saffron loses its fragrance quickly when exposed to air. For brewing, the scientific principle is simple: high heat is saffron's enemy. Its aroma evaporates at around 70 °C, and its color breaks down under strong, prolonged heat. So pouring boiling water over it and letting it steep is the worst thing you can do. You have two good options: either use warm water at about 60 °C (hot, but not boiling) and wait around 20 minutes — research shows this is where you get the best color release — or use the ice method: put the ground saffron in a closed container with ice and let it melt slowly. The ice method preserves the aroma very well; it just takes patience, because extraction is slow at low temperatures.

For the same reason — heat sensitivity — saffron is added in the last ten minutes of cooking. If you add it at the start, the aroma escapes and the color fades too.