JRA
Well-Known Member
what is your recipe / process?
wanna Braise some beef or deer
- Thread starter JRA
- Start date
Braising is the generalized term for slow-cooking meat (generally tougher cuts with lots of connective tissue) in a large vessel, covered with a lid, and partially submerging the meat in a liquid. This liquid should be well seasoned and flavorful enough so as not to leach taste and moisture from the meat. Asking for someone's recipe is like asking how to grill.
Strangely enough, it is possible to have braised a piece of meat, yet it remains dry. The key is to season the meat first, then to make sure your braising liquid is flavorful enough that the meat will absorb the salt. Cuisines from all over the world utilize braising as a cooking method, so you'll find hundreds of recipes. Since I enjoy "continental" European styles of cooking, here's a foolproof braise execution to try.
1) Generously salt the meat, and let it sit out on the counter for at least an hour to absorb and distribute the salt
2) Brown meat in a hot skillet, lightly greased. The trick is to gently wiggle the meat until it freely releases from the bottom of the pan without any effort. Don't move the meat around. Set it and leave it until it's time to turn.
3) Remove meat onto a plate for a minute, making sure to keep the juices
4) Deglaze the skillet with a 1/2C of red wine, scraping the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to med-low
5) Simmer a clove or two of finely minced garlic in the wine reduction. Minced onion or shallot works well here, as well. Stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste and whisk around until it's smooth
6) This is where you add the liquid. If you have homemade stock, use it. Please don't use Swanson's broth from a can. If store-bought is all you can go with, use the "Kitchen Basics" brand of stock. Add enough that the liquid will cover up to about half the meat. Stir around, and throw in a bay leaf or two.
7) Put the meat back in, ensuring plenty of contact with the liquid and little meat-to-meat crowding.
8) Cover it and leave for a while. Cooking in a 300 degree oven for a while is the simplest way, but a low simmer on the stove will work as well.
Strangely enough, it is possible to have braised a piece of meat, yet it remains dry. The key is to season the meat first, then to make sure your braising liquid is flavorful enough that the meat will absorb the salt. Cuisines from all over the world utilize braising as a cooking method, so you'll find hundreds of recipes. Since I enjoy "continental" European styles of cooking, here's a foolproof braise execution to try.
1) Generously salt the meat, and let it sit out on the counter for at least an hour to absorb and distribute the salt
2) Brown meat in a hot skillet, lightly greased. The trick is to gently wiggle the meat until it freely releases from the bottom of the pan without any effort. Don't move the meat around. Set it and leave it until it's time to turn.
3) Remove meat onto a plate for a minute, making sure to keep the juices
4) Deglaze the skillet with a 1/2C of red wine, scraping the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to med-low
5) Simmer a clove or two of finely minced garlic in the wine reduction. Minced onion or shallot works well here, as well. Stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste and whisk around until it's smooth
6) This is where you add the liquid. If you have homemade stock, use it. Please don't use Swanson's broth from a can. If store-bought is all you can go with, use the "Kitchen Basics" brand of stock. Add enough that the liquid will cover up to about half the meat. Stir around, and throw in a bay leaf or two.
7) Put the meat back in, ensuring plenty of contact with the liquid and little meat-to-meat crowding.
8) Cover it and leave for a while. Cooking in a 300 degree oven for a while is the simplest way, but a low simmer on the stove will work as well.
Braising works best with cheap, rustic cuts of meat�.bone-in is a bonus. Lamb, veal, pork, or beef shanks are excellent selections. Lots of connective tissue, a good hollow bone, and if you're lucky, some marrow. Chicken or turkey legs braise well, as do oxtails, chuck roasts, and pork shoulders. The sky is the limit, and going into winter, this is an easy way to make a good, hearty dinner.
Throw in some mushrooms towards the end of cooking, serve over roasted red potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, or other hearty root veggies. Chopping up spinach, collards, or kale will give a little vegetation to the meal as well.
Throw in some mushrooms towards the end of cooking, serve over roasted red potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, or other hearty root veggies. Chopping up spinach, collards, or kale will give a little vegetation to the meal as well.
