Braising: Method and Recipes
Braising is a way of cooking meat, fish, seafood or vegetables by first searing the item in hot fat, and then simmering it, covered, in liquid to finish. Braising differs from stewing in that the item to be cooked is usually in large pieces, as opposed to smaller pieces for stews. Also, the amount of liquid used in braising is less than for stewing, normally barely covering half of the item to be braised.
Image © iStockphoto
Braising is a good way to cook the tougher cuts of meat such as shank, shoulder and round. Long, slow simmering breaks down the connective tissue in the meat and renders a dish tender with a full-bodied sauce. The dish Americans call pot roast is actually a braise. However delicate foods such as fish and seafood can also be braised. Cooking time is simply shorter.
The liquid used as a braising medium is usually water or stock, but wine, beer or tomatoes are sometimes used. And other ingredients such and onions, carrots, or potatoes are often added to impart different flavors.
Braising Recipes
Adobong Manok
Adobong manok, often called "chicken adobo," is often considered the national dish of the Philippines. Its origins are with the Spanish colonizers — adobo is the Spanish word for a marinade — but Filipinos have happily adapted it as their own. The vinegar marinade makes a dish that stores very well in the Filipino heat. Endless varieties of adobo exist and each region has its own specialty. Besides chicken and pork, there is fish, squid, green bean and even eggplant adobo. Read more »
Braciole alla Pizzaiola
Pizzaiola is an Italian word that means "pizza style." And it perfectly describes this dish of thinly pounded beef cutlets simmered briefly in a simple tomato sauce. Read more »
Brasato al Chianti
Brasato al Chianti is great Tuscan cold-weather food and goes well with polenta or potato gnocchi. Brasato, Italian for "braised," can also be made with Barolo or any other Italian red wine. Read more »
Ca Kho To
Vietnamese kho (pronounced "kaw") dishes are comforting braised foods cooked in clay pots, and flavored with nuoc mau, a delectable caramel sauce with deep molasses and coffee tones. This kho recipe features fish (cá), but pork, chicken, seafood, tofu or eggs are also used. Read more »
Carnitas de Puerco
Slow-simmered pork, with a step at the end to add crispiness, carnitas are an amazing option for stuffing tacos, burritos and tamales. Carnitas are easy to make, but it does take some time. Traditional carnitas are always simmered in lard; it adds flavor and tenderness. See the variations for healthier options if all that fat scares you away. Read more »
Carottes Braisées au Beurre
Carottes braisées au beurre are a classic French side dish. The natural sweetness of the carrots, accentuated with a pinch of sugar, goes perfectly with roasted meats and fowl. Read more »
Carrot Tzimmes
Tzimmes, or tsimmes, is a Jewish side dish that is a traditional part of a Rosh Hashanah meal. Carrot, or mehren, tzimmes, are a favorite, slowly simmered with honey to make a sweet dish symbolizing a sweet new year. There are endless variations on the basic tzimmes recipe. Some mix carrots and sweet potatoes. Others add dried fruits. Still others braise a nice brisket with the carrots. Read more »
Coq au Vin
Coq au vin is a classic winter dish from the Bourgogne region of France. Use a burgundy, Beaujolais, or any young, full-bodied red wine for this warming braised chicken dish. Read more »
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Corned beef and cabbage is a traditional St. Patricks Day dish for Irish Americans, but not for the Irish themselves. The meal became popular with immigrants from Ireland in the 19th century. The word "corned" comes from the Old English for "grain" or "pellets," and pellets of salt were originally used to cure the beef for this dish. These days corned beef is usually sold brined in vacuum-packed bags with a spice packet for flavoring. A variation of the dish with root vegetables makes up a New England boiled dinner. A Canadian version is served with pease pudding. Read more »
Daube de Boeuf Provençale
Popular in southern France, daubes (pronounced "dōb") are slow-simmered stews traditionally cooked in a special pot called a daubière. Beef or lamb are marinated in wine and herbs for a day or two, then simmered in a slow oven until meltingly tender. As with much French food, everyone agrees that a daube should be made just so, yet each region has its own variation. The version here is popular in Provence. Read more »
Djej Emshmel
Djej emshmel is a popular Moroccan chicken tagine also known as djej m'chemel, djej emshemel or djej emsharmel. The unique flavor of the chicken slow simmered with olives and preserved lemons highlights the best aspects of Moroccan cuisine. Read more »
Dublin Coddle
Dublin coddle, as its name implies, is a warming dish particularly popular in the Irish capital city of Dublin. Often simply known as coddle, this simple and filling mix of potatoes, sausages and bacon often serves as a hearty dinner. Read more »
Dušené Zelí
Braised cabbage is a very popular side vegetable in Central Europe, often served with roast meats and dumplings. It is called gedünstetes Kraut in Germany. Read more »
Fesenjan
Fesenjan, also known as khoresht-e fesenjan or fesenjoon, is special occasion food in Iran. It is traditionally made with duck or pheasant in the north of the country along the Caspian Sea. A thick, rich, sweet-sour dish, fesenjan improves in flavor if served the next day. Read more »
Gołąbki
Golabki (pronounced ga-WUMP-kee) means "little pigeons" in Polish and is a reference to their size and shape. These stuffed cabbage rolls simmered in a tomato sauce are popular throughout Eastern Europe. In Russia, where they are known as golubtsy. In Ukraine they are called holubtsi. Hungarians refer to them as töltött káposzta. Read more »
Habas con Chorizo
Simple and straightforward, this dish of fresh fava beans simmered with chorizo makes a whole meal if you pair it with a few slices of crusty bread. Try substituting serrano ham for the chorizo, or experiment with different seasonings according to what you have on hand. Read more »
Hasenpfeffer
Hasenpfeffer is German for "hare-pepper," or peppered hare, and is a famous game dish in Germany. Serve it with spätzle dumplings or with boiled or mashed potatoes and blaukraut (braised red cabbage). Read more »
Hong Shao Rou
Hong shao, or red-cooking, is a popular way to prepare meats in the Shanghai region of eastern China. Simmering in dark soy sauce gives the meat a reddish color and the dish its name. Red-cooked dishes often include a mix of meat and vegetables and are similar to a western stew. The sauce produced during hong shao cooking is sometimes reserved and used again and again, improving in flavor with each use. Families and restaurants often claim sauces that reach back for generations. Read more »
İmam Bayıldı
This eggplant dish is one of the most famous dishes of Turkish cuisine. İmam bayıldı means "the imam fainted." Legends abound as to how it got this name. Some say he fainted at the extravagant use of olive oil. Others say he swooned at its delightful flavor. Both will seem just as likely when you try this excellent recipe. Read more »
Kabocha Nimono
Kabocha nimono is an easy, quick and nourishing way to prepare kabocha squash. Simmered pumpkin is particularly popular in the fall as kabocha comes into season. Read more »
Kalbi Jjim
Kalbi jjim is a favorite comfort food for Koreans. Beef short ribs are slowly simmered in a sweet-salty broth until they are practically falling off the bone. Vegetables and sometimes chestnuts enrich the mix and provide a satisfying meal for a cold winter day. Other spellings include galbijjim and kal bi chim. Read more »
Muamba de Galinha
Muamba de galinha is a spicy Angolan chicken dish, flavored with the fruit of a West African palm tree (dendém) and studded with pieces of pumpkin and okra. You can find canned palm soup base in many African markets. But a tasty chicken muamba can be made without it if you can't. Read more »
Pescado a la Veracruzana
Pescado à la veracruzana is one of the most famous seafood dishes of Veracruz on the Caribbean coast of eastern Mexico. The ingredients and seasonings show a strong Spanish influence. Read more »
Pollo alla Cacciatora
Pollo alla cacciatora, or chicken cacciatore in English, is a simple dish that is popular not only in Italy but around the world. The word cacciatore means "hunter," and alla cacciatora means "hunter style." The ingredients vary wildly, but its essentials seem to be chicken, onions, tomatoes and wine. It is often made with rabbit, and many recipes call for mushrooms, both things an Italian hunter might come across in the woods. Read more »
Pollo di Modena
This simple recipe puts the deep, rich, sweet flavor of balsamic vinegar to good use. The marinade not only flavors the chicken pieces but tenderizes them as well. Balsamic vinegar was first made in the city of Modena in the region of Emilia-Romagna. Read more »
