Garnish asparagus after cooking with lemon juice, crispy pork, fresh herbs, or a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.  

To Steam

1. Prepare your steamer. Bring a few inches of water to a simmer in a large pot over medium-high heat. Set your steaming basket inside of it, taking care the water level is below it. 
2. Lay the asparagus in a single layer. Spread the trimmed asparagus out as much as possible in the basket or even a colander that fits inside the pot (but stays above the water).
3. Steam until fork tender. Cover the pot if you can, and steam the asparagus until they are fork-tender. Begin checking thinner asparagus after four or five minutes for doneness by biting into one. Thicker stalks can take up to 10 or even 15 minutes.

To Boil

1. Boil and salt the water. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, and cover to boil faster. Add a healthy pinch of salt. This is your only chance to season the inside of the spears. 
2. Boil until the spears are tender to the bite. For super skinny stalks, begin checking after a couple of minutes. For thicker spears, begin checking after four minutes.
3. Check for doneness and drain. Remove one, run it under cold water, and bite into it. If the bite makes you happy, drain the asparagus using a colander or remove the spears with tongs and pat dry.

To Blanch

1. Set up the ice bath. Prepare an ice bath in a mixing bowl. Add ice halfway up the bowl and enough water to cover it.
2. Boil for one to three minutes. Boil the asparagus to your preferred tenderness. Thin asparagus takes a minute or two. Blanched asparagus destined for another dish is typically cooked to slightly less than done. 
3. Transfer the asparagus to the ice bath. Quickly transfer the spears to the ice bath using tongs (or drain and then drop them in). A brief stint in the ice bath is all that's needed. Remove the asparagus, dry them with a towel, and store chilled. 

To Roast

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F and prepare.  Line a large baking pan with parchment or greased foil for easy clean-up.
2. Season and oil the asparagus. Toss your trimmed asparagus in oil and season with salt and your favorite dried seasonings. Spread the seasoned stalks in one layer on the baking pan.
3. Roast until tender. Roast the asparagus until caramelized and tender, between 12 and 20 minutes. Shake the pan or toss the asparagus with tongs occasionally to encourage even cooking. Cover the pan with foil to prevent burning before tender. After about 10 minutes, taste one for tenderness. Continue checking for doneness every few minutes. 

To Sauté (Pan-Roasting)

1. Peel and trim the asparagus. For pan-roasting, you definitely want to peel away the more fibrous skin and trim the woody bottoms. Then slice them crosswise into one-inch or two-inch pieces. Begin slicing from the top down to preserve the delicate tips. 
2. Heat the oil and cook in a single layer. Preheat your favorite cooking oil or ghee (clarified butter) in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sliced asparagus and spread the pieces out evenly. Don't touch the asparagus for the first several minutes of cooking.
3. Toss and cook until tender. After the pieces brown on the first side, shake the pan or use tongs to flip them. After you stir, let the pieces cook undisturbed again for a few minutes. Repeat this process until the thickest pieces are tender and the asparagus are caramelized. If the spears are nicely browned but not tender, splash a bit of water in the pan and simmer it away. This will steam them and help them soften.
4. Add aromatics and seasonings. If you like, add a couple of tablespoons of minced shallots, onion, or garlic right at the end of cooking. Then sauté just until the aromatics begin to soften and brown. 

Air Frying

1. Preheat the air fryer to 375° F. 
2. Season and oil the asparagus. It can be helpful to trim the asparagus to slightly shorter than the width of the fryer basket. Coat the asparagus in oil and season with salt.
3. Air fry in a single layer. Place the spears in the fryer basket, leaving space between the spears (you may need to fry them in batches). Begin checking thinner spears after six to eight minutes for doneness. Very thick stalks can take up to 15 minutes to become fork-tender. Always taste one to know if they're done.

To Grill

1. Prepare your grill. Preheat your gas grill on high, or prepare your coals to be as hot as possible (but no longer flaming steadily).
2. Trim the asparagus. Coat the stalks with oil, and season with salt.
3. Clean and oil the grates. Scrape the grill grates clean with a grill brush. And rub on a high-heat oil like avocado with a dish rag (or use spray oil).
4. Grill until charred and tender. Grill the asparagus until evenly charred and tender to the bite. Flip the spears over once halfway through cooking, after the first side is deeply charred. Medium-thick stalks take about ten minutes to cook on a blazing-hot grill.