What is braising?
I have a habit of buying braising steak, when intending to stew some beef (be it to eat as a stew, or to later use as a pie filling), but I've always wondered what braising actually is?
Best Answer
Braising uses minimal liquid to achieve a moist, slow, cook. Stew is soup with attitude: it's much more liquid, with chunks of the star of the show floating in it.
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What is braising mean in cooking?
braising, the cooking of meat or vegetables by heating them slowly with oil and moisture in a tightly sealed vessel. Braising differs from stewing, in which the food is immersed in liquid, and from covered roasting, in which no liquid is added. Braising is a combination of covered roasting and steaming.How is braising done?
Braising is simply a cooking method that involves browning meat or vegetables in oil, then cooking them in a small amount of liquid in a covered pan, either on the stovetop or in the oven. The long, slow cook time helps develop flavor and turn even the toughest of meat cuts fork-tender.What is the difference between stewing and braising?
Braising involves cooking large pieces of meat or chicken partially covered in liquid, while stewing uses smaller pieces of meat totally immersed in liquid. The liquid will usually be a combination of stock and water.What does braise the meat mean?
At the end of the day, braising is just cooking a tougher cut of meat gently in liquid until it is transformed into a tender, succulent, fall-off-the-bone masterpiece.More answers regarding what is braising?
Answer 2
From The Professional Chef:
To braise meat, first sear it in hot fat to the desired color, then simmer it in a covered vessel in stock or another cooking liquid. The amount of liquid used in the braise is crucial to the success of the finished dish.
One of the benefits of braising is that tough cuts of meat become tender as the moist heat gently penetrates the meat and causes the connective tissues to soften. Another benefit is that flavor is released into the cooking liquid to become the accompanying sauce, thus virtually all of the flavor and nutrients are retained."
Answer 3
Braising is a combination of fast dry heat and long slow moist heat.
The fast dry heat is able to create the flavorful crust on meat in ways that slow heat can't. The dry heat can be extremely hot air in the oven, direct radiation from a broiler, or contact with a hot steel or cast iron pan.
The long slow moist heat creates a steaming process. Importantly, the meat is NOT submerged and boiled in the liquid. The long heat helps break down the tough connective tissue, and the steam helps the meat not dry out. The steam, rather than immersion means more flavor stays with the pieces of meat instead of leeching out into the broth like a stew.
Braising is best used for meat that is too tough to use as good steak, but good for more than just becoming stew meat.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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