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Cooking encyclopedia Techniques

Braising

Also called pot-roasting

Browning, then cooking slowly in a small amount of liquid in a covered pot.

80โ€“95 ยฐC (176โ€“203 ยฐF)

What it is

Brown the meat, soften aromatics in the same fat, deglaze, return the meat with liquid reaching a third to halfway up it, cover and hold at a bare simmer until a fork meets no resistance. The liquid becomes the sauce.

Why it works

Tough cuts are tough because of collagen. Above about 70 ยฐC collagen converts to gelatin, and that conversion is slow โ€” hours, not minutes. Gelatin is what makes a braise feel rich without added fat. The pot stays covered so the temperature stays even and the liquid does not boil away.

When to use it

Shoulder, shin, cheek, oxtail, ribs, whole legs, dense root vegetables, dried beans.

What goes wrong

Boiling instead of simmering, which squeezes the muscle fibres dry before the collagen has converted; not enough browning, so the sauce has no depth; taking it off the heat while a fork still meets resistance.

Meridian cooking encyclopedia โ€” Watchman Productions

More on this shelf

  • Blanching Brief cooking in heavily boiling water, usually followed by cooling.
  • Blooming spices Heating spices briefly in fat or a dry pan to release their aroma before they meet anything else.
  • Deep-frying Cooking fully submerged in hot fat, usually 160โ€“190 ยฐC.
  • Deglazing Dissolving the browned residue in a pan with liquid, to turn it into sauce.
  • Emulsifying Dispersing fat and water into each other so they behave as one smooth sauce.
  • Grilling Cooking over or under direct radiant heat, close to the source.
  • Poaching Cooking submerged in liquid held below a simmer, around 70โ€“85 ยฐC.
  • Reducing Simmering a liquid uncovered to evaporate water and concentrate what is left.
  • Resting meat Leaving cooked meat off the heat before cutting it.
  • Roasting Cooking in dry oven heat, uncovered, so the surface browns while the inside cooks.
  • Sautรฉing Cooking small or thin pieces quickly in a little fat over fairly high heat, moving them often.
  • Searing Cooking a surface hard and fast to brown it, before or after the inside is cooked.