Getting to Know: Braising
Braising is the best way to turn a tough cut of meat tender. So how do you do it?
Braising is perhaps the most transformative of all cooking methods: A tough, gnarly cut goes into a pot with some liquid, and hours later, without any hands-on work, you have tender, succulent meat. Some braises start with a sear to build flavor, while others get straight to the moist cooking, but all braises involve long, gentle simmering in a liquid that, once the fat has been strained out, can become a flavorful sauce. We present you with a primer on this invaluable technique.
Low and Slow
Tough cuts come from well-used muscles that have lots of chewy collagen. Slow, moist cooking transforms the tough collagen into tender gelatin. The sweet spot for this conversion is between 140 and 200 degrees; larger cuts need to stay in this range for several hours to fully tenderize.
Liquid
Most braising recipes use broth, but water, milk, and wine are also common mediums. Meats release juices as they cook, thereby increasing the volume of liquid in the pot.
Aromatics
Ingredients such as onions, garlic, ginger, carrots, celery, herbs, and spices flavor both the meat and the liquid.
What's in a Name?
Braising, stewing, pot roasting, and slow cooking all share common ground: Cooking protein with liquid in a closed, moist environment to help break down the protein and achieve soft, tender meat. But where stewing usually involves completely submerging small pieces of meat with liquid, braising generally calls for much less liquid. And the resulting dish is more often eaten with a fork, not a spoon.
What to Braise?
Technically speaking, you can braise a carrot or a tender fish fillet. But usually, braising means starting with cuts of meat that are laden with fat and tough connective tissue. Here are a few of our favorites:
Brisket
Beef Short Ribs
Beef Chuck Roast
Chicken Thighs
Pork Butt (Shoulder) Roast
Pork Blade Chops
The Best Tool For the Job: Our favorite braising vessel is a heavy Dutch oven that retains heat well. We highly recommend the Cuisinart 7 Qt. Round Covered Casserole ($121.94); this pot is sturdy, heats evenly, has comfortable handles, works great both on the stovetop and in the oven, and features a light enameled interior that makes it easy to monitor browning.
