Mastering the Art of Braising: Traditional and Modern Techniques for Flavorful Meat Dishes

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From the Writer

Why braise?

Tender meat. One-pot meals. Arms-off cooking.

Hen Vesuvio

Braising Gear

When it comes to braising meat in our test kitchen, our go-to choice is always the reliable Dutch oven. This sturdy and spacious pot is perfect for conducting heat effectively, ensuring that the meat achieves a delicious sear. Plus, its snug lid helps to lock in all those wonderful flavors as the ingredients braise to perfection.

Let’s Braise

Braise the roof!

Braising is a fundamental cooking technique found in cuisines worldwide, but it may not be as popular in the US. However, this is changing as more home cooks are discovering how gentle, steady heat can enhance the flavors of meat, poultry, seafood, and vegetables. When you braise, tough ingredients are transformed into tender goodness with a delicious sauce. 'How to Braise Everything' is your ultimate guide for preparing quick weeknight meals and leisurely weekend feasts packed with flavor.

A glance within the braising pot:

Aromatics: Braises profit from a base of fragrant taste for complexity. Frequent Examples: Onion, carrot, celery, bell pepper, garlic, shallot, ginger, chiles, hardy herbs
Beefy Boosters: Umami-rich components improve the notion of meatiness. Frequent Examples: Tomato paste, anchovies, soy sauce, mushrooms, parmesan cheese rind
Liquid: The braising liquid coaxes out and transfers flavors. Frequent Examples: Hen broth, beef broth, wine, canned tomatoes, bottled clam juice
Essential Occasion: All these components come collectively to braise one thing. Frequent Examples: Beef, pork, lamb, sausages, poultry, fish and shellfish, beans, legumes, greens
Ending Touches: Use a shiny taste contact on the finish to supply textural distinction. Frequent Examples: Recent herbs, lemon juice, vinegar, nuts, gremolata, rouille or chutney

French-Model Pot Roast

This elegant dish historically requires marinating the meat in purple wine earlier than cooking and including collagen-rich veal and pork components for physique. We discovered simpler, faster methods to generate the identical taste and texture with fewer steps and components. We advocate a medium-bodied, fruity purple wine, resembling Côtes du Rhône or Pinot Noir, for this recipe.

Southern-Styled Smothered Hen

Since rooster is comparatively delicate in taste, most rooster dishes style like no matter else is within the dish slightly than the rooster itself. Smothered rooster is designed to coax out as a lot rooster taste as attainable after which bolster it with supporting—not distracting—components, on this case garlic and dried sage. A splash of cider vinegar brightens the sauce simply earlier than serving.

Spanish Shellfish Stew (Zarzuela)

Chock-full of shellfish like lobsters, clams, and mussels, this tomato-based stew is seasoned with saffron and paprika and thickened with a picada, a flavorful combination of floor almonds, bread crumbs, and olive oil. The shellfish launch their wealthy liquors into the pot as they cook dinner to supply the broth with clear, recent seafood taste.

Leg of Lamb en Cocotte with Garlic and Rosemary

Fall-apart meat is nice, however a roast lower into tender slices can also be fascinating—and you may get it with braising when you use the en cocotte technique. No liquid is added to the pot right here; as an alternative, the flavorful lamb cooks in its personal juices. Because the meat’s gamey taste comes principally from the fats, trim as a lot as attainable earlier than browning the roast then braise the lamb with sprigs of rosemary and a handful of sliced garlic cloves. In simply an hour you’ll have a easy, fantastically flavored most important.