How To Braise
from Italian Traditional Food

Advice on how to braise

Not everyone knows how to braise so here is a brief overview of braising. Learning how to braise can be very enjoyable.

How to braise information:

Cheaper cuts of meat are often full of flavour but inclined to be tough, so braising is the ideal way of cooking them. The meat is tender and succulent and the rich, strong gravy it was cooked in is a bonus. For a good braise it's essential to use a very small quantity of liquid in a pot with a tight-fitting lid.

The meat cooks in the steam from the liquid, thus keeping moist. Most of the cooking is done in the oven so that the braise has both top and bottom heat. Choosing the right pan is important; it should be of enamelled iron, cast iron or thick aluminium and be deep enough for the joint to fit snugly into it. Glass, or any non-flameproof ovenware, however, is not suitable as part of the cooking is done on top of the stove.

Braising meat and game

Heat the pan and add 2 tablespoons of oil or dripping. When hot, put in the meat and brown well all over. Take out meat and put in a good plateful of sliced or diced vegetables (onion, carrot, a little turnip and celery). This is called a mirepoix.

Cover pan and cook gently (or sweat) for 7 minutes. This allows the juice to run from the vegetables and lets them absorb excess fat. Put back the meat on top of the mirepoix, together with a bouquet garni and a little seasoning.

Pour in liquid as required in recipe. This should cover the bottom of the pan up to a level of 3 inches. Cover closely and cook for 1-2 hours (according to the size of the joint) in a slow oven at 325F (160C) or Gas Mark 3.

Baste and turn the meat occasionally; it should be very tender when cooked. If you choose to braise a roasting joint less time can be allowed (20 minutes per lb and 20 minutes over).

When meat is tender, remove it from the pan and keep warm. Strain the gravy and skim surface well to take off any fat. A sauce can be added, depending on the recipe, or gravy can be thickened with kneaded butter or arrowroot. The vegetables cooked with the braise are now discarded; they have done their job of flavouring and will be overcooked.

When braising a roasting joint, such as a leg of lamb, the vegetables can be served with the meat as the cooking time is not so long.

For a really successful braise it is essential to have a slightly jellied brown stock. If the stock is not strong, a pig's foot (trotter) tucked in beside the joint gives a beautifully "sticky" texture to the finished sauce.

More how to braise information:

Braising fish

Braising is an excellent way of cooking fish, such as haddock or carp. The fish may first be stuffed with a herb mixture and then laid on the mirepoix of vegetables. Pour round a glass of cider, white wine or water, add salt and pepper and a bouquet garni (bayleaf, parsley, 2 sprigs of thyme). Cover pot tightly and braise as for meat.

Allow about 15-20 minutes per lb for large fish and about 20-25 minutes total cooking time for small fish such as seabream or red mullet. The fish is served with the juice lightly thickened with arrowroot, and sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Braising vegetables

Good braising vegetables are onions, celery, chicory, cabbage and lettuce. They are first blanched (for root vegetables, put into cold water and bring to the boil; for green vegetables, put into boiling water and reboil before draining thoroughly). This blanching is done to remove any strong flavour, and to soften the outside and so ensure thorough cooking.

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