Braising is a cooking method usually used for tougher cuts of meat, such as pot roasts, rumps, shanks and ribs, and sometimes for vegetables. The food cooks in liquid, similar to stewing, and the result is meltingly tender.
Instructions
1. Make sure that whatever cuts of meat or vegetables you're using are roughly the same size so they cook evenly. (See tips below for which cuts work best for braising and why.)
2. Heat a heavy frying pan, then add a little oil and heat that, too.
3. Season the meat or vegetables on both sides with salt and pepper, or whatever seasonings your specific recipe requires.
4. When the pan is nice and hot, add the meat or vegetables and saute at high heat to quickly brown the outside. This adds color and flavor. Without browning, meat would look gray and lifeless, and vegetables limp, at the end of the cooking time.
5. When nicely browned, add enough liquid to the pan to come about halfway up the sides of the meat or vegetables. Liquid used for braising is usually water, stock, wine or a combination.
6. At this point you have two options; you can lower the heat and simmer the recipe slowly until everything is tender, or you can place the whole pan (provided it's ovenproof) in the oven and bake it. That's up to you; what's more important is that the meat or vegetables cook slowly in the liquid and that the liquid never evaporates. (See tips below to decide whether to cover the dish.)
7. Check for doneness according to what you're cooking. Be aware that braising is a slow-cooking method. Most braised dishes take from 45 minutes (for smaller cuts of meat and poultry) to 6 hours for really tough shanks and ribs.
Tags: meat vegetables, cuts meat, shanks ribs, tips below
