Braising

Braising is a cooking method that slowly cooks food in a small amount of liquid, usually after browning it, in a covered pot. It combines moist heat with the flavors developed by browning.

Maillard reaction: A set of chemical reactions between amino acids and sugars that creates browned foods’ characteristic flavors and aromas. Browning meat before braising produces flavors that enrich the cooking liquid.
Searing: A cooking technique that browns a food’s surface using intense heat. Searing is the common first step that develops a browned base for braising.
Pot roast: A dish of a large cut of meat slowly cooked with liquid and often vegetables in a covered pot. Pot roast is a familiar example of braising a large, tough cut until tender.
Stewing: A method of slowly cooking relatively small pieces of food submerged in liquid. Unlike braising, stewing usually covers smaller pieces with more cooking liquid.
Collagen: A structural protein abundant in connective tissue that can break down into gelatin during prolonged moist cooking. Slow cooking converts connective tissue in many braising cuts into gelatin.
Deglazing: Adding liquid to a hot pan to loosen browned food residue from its surface. Deglazing lifts flavorful residue left by searing into the braising liquid.
Short ribs: Meaty beef ribs cut from the chuck, plate, or rib sections of the animal. Their connective tissue and rich flavor make short ribs well suited to braising.
Roasting: A cooking method that uses dry heat in an oven to cook food. Roasting relies on dry heat rather than the covered, liquid-assisted cooking of braising.
Gelatin: A protein mixture formed when collagen breaks down, often thickening liquids and giving them a soft, rich texture. Gelatin released from meat gives braising liquids body and a silky mouthfeel.
Braising liquid: The small quantity of seasoned liquid used to cook food in a covered braise. Its flavor and volume shape the sauce and the food’s cooking environment.

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