By Published Sept. 30, 2023.
This is Technique #32 from our 100 Techniques Every Home Cook Can Master.
Each technique is broken into three sections: why it works, key steps, and recipes that use it. Learn these recipe building blocks and you'll be set up for a lifetime of cooking success.
Braising generally involves browning food first, and then cooking it in some type of liquid to finish. Cooking techniques such as sautéing, roasting, and frying, which create flavor by applying high heat to proteins and sugar to change them, require frequent monitoring to manage that high heat so it doesn’t burn or dry out the food.
Braising, though, relies on low heat, which allows the cook to leave the dish alone while it gets better and better.
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Braises can be fast, as for vegetables, or slow, as we show here with meat. Sometimes you can skip an initial searing step. But all braises involve gentle cooking in liquid, and maintaining the liquid below boiling ensures that the temperature can’t possibly go above 212 degrees.
This makes braising an especially effective technique for cooking meat, because longer cooking at a lower temperature coaxes collagen—the main protein that makes up the connective tissue surrounding meat’s muscle fibers—to melt into gelatin, which lubricates the muscle fibers and results in a soft, tender final texture.
It’s a common misconception that braised meat is so tender because of all that liquid it cooks in; it’s really this collagen breakdown that should get the credit.
Most braises do better in the oven than on the stovetop (with a few exceptions, like quick vegetable or seafood braises). The reason oven braises work so well is that even heat from all sides surrounds the pot, leading to gentle, even cooking and a flavorful liquid that becomes the sauce.
The heat of a stovetop burner, on the other hand, is too focused. With stovetop braising, the heat concentrates on the bottom of the pot and can easily overheat the starch in the liquid, which breaks down its thickening properties and thus results in a thinner sauce.
For the best braising, you’ll want a sturdy, roomy pot with a tight-fitting lid. We often turn to an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven as our preferred vessel because they retain heat well, are easy to clean, and transfer easily from stovetop to oven. Depending on the recipe, a stainless steel skillet is also a good choice.
Now that you know the science behind braising, follow these steps to achieve the tender, fall-off-the-bone meat.
Trim meat of excess fat, reserving trimmings if recipe directs.
Brown meat in braising vessel on stovetop or in roasting pan in oven, depending on quantity of meat.
Cook aromatics in oil in braising vessel until softened. Add braising liquid and bring to simmer on stovetop.
Add meat to braising vessel, cover, and transfer to oven.
At end of braising time, remove meat from pot and strain braising liquid through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator. Let settle for 5 minutes, if recipe directs.
Return defatted braising liquid to braising vessel and simmer to reduce to desired consistency. Serve as sauce with braised meat.
Want to put your newfound knowledge of braising to use? Try it with these recipes.
Ready to learn another technique? Choose from our list of 100 Techniques Every Home Cook Can Master.
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