Braising for Maximum Flavor

When thinking of classic dishes such as coq au vin, Yankee pot roast, sauerbraten and osso buco, the mind may conjure up images of warm and pleasurable dinners with the family. A bit of magic happens in the pot when the cook takes a tough cut of meat, adds some aromatic vegetables and a bit of liquid, covers it and lets it simmer away. That magic is braising!

Perhaps our ancestral, primal connections to a time when cooking was always by fire or food was buried in the hot ground to cook makes us respond the way we do. A braised meal enchants the senses, not only those of taste and smell, but the “sense” of memory as well. A braised meal endures in a time of expediency such as ours, because it speaks to a basic human need for community—to break bread with others.

Braising 101 

Braiser, a French term, originally referred to a closed pot sitting on top of charcoal. Braising is a cooking method where meat or vegetables are first browned in a little fat, then slowly cooked in a tightly covered pot with a small amount of liquid over low heat for a long period of time. The secret is to go slowly. Braising can be done on the stove top or in a slow 250°F oven. Braising yields remarkably tender results for meat and vegetables; in meat the slow cooking breaks down tough connective tissue. The savory flavor can be attributed to the flavor exchange between the moisture in the meat interacting with the cooking liquid in the tightly sealed pot.

A braise is based on flavor extraction. The idea is to gently encourage the flavors of the meat and vegetables to mingle with the juices in the pot to create a finished meal truly distinctive in character and greater than the sum of its parts. Once the meat is seared, a small amount of liquid, usually stock, wine, water or some combination of the three, is added and the pot is covered. As everything begins to cook, the broth will begin to pick up the flavors released by the meat and vegetables. The broth transforms from a simple braising liquid into a flavorful, nuanced sauce. The simmering broth will also form steam to further cook the meat.

Braising is a moist-heat cooking technique. Certain cuts of meat cook better with moist heat so, when making a braise, select a cut that becomes tender with this process.

Moist heat breaks down the collagen in meat. Braising allows for this connective- tissue breakdown without muscle-fiber breakdown. The braising process heats the muscle fibers, which consist mainly of water. Once heated, they contract, which squeezes out some of the moisture and causes shrinking and drying. Connective tissues also release water when heated. Plus, the heat and moisture turns the collagen in the connective tissue into a rich, flavorful gelatin that also melds with the braising liquid. When the muscle fibers reabsorb this liquid, the braising cycle is complete.

According to Harold McGee, author of “On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen,” food scientists have compared collagen conversions in a rump roast when it is roasted well done, about a two-hour process, and when it is braised for 30 minutes and for 90 minutes. The roasted sample had 14% of its collagen gelatinized, the 30-minute braise 11%, and the 90- minute braise 52%. The long, slow braise, one can conclude, is the best way to tenderize meat with high connective- tissue content.

Let’s take an example of braising magic to describe this process in kitchen terminology. An oft-braised dish is Yankee pot roast. After browning or searing the meat in a heavy pot, the cook adds some chopped vegetables, such as carrots, onions, celery and potatoes. Some thyme or bay leaf or perhaps some parsley is added for character. Lastly, before the lid goes on, some braising liquid is added. Red wine is a good choice for this example, but beef broth or even water could be used. The pot is then placed in a low-temperature oven. The liquid in the pot begins to simmer and turns to steam. The steam condenses and runs back down from the lid to “baste” and help cook the beef and vegetable mixture. The beef and vegetables now begin to release their juices, which blend with the wine and start forming the sauce. This sauce gives its flavors back to the meat and vegetables, culminating in a distinctively new creation.

Choosing the proper cuts 

Braising meats falls into two categories: short braising and long braising. Each method has its cuts of choice.

Tradition implies that long braising works best with the tougher cuts, such as shanks, shoulders, ribs, chuck roasts and briskets, as well as cuts harvested from older animals, which have more collagen in their connective tissue. These cuts need maximum braising time, anywhere from 2 to 4 hours or more to reach the desired fall-off-the-bone tender state. Besides the higher amount of connective tissue in these cuts, they are also more coarsely grained, which is another factor in choosing a good cut for braising. Coarser-grained meats are associated with the working muscles of the animal. This characteristic is important since coarser-grained meats more readily absorb flavors than finer-grained meats.

Short braising refers more to the method of delivering flavor, nuance and complexity to a dish than an actual tenderizing process. This term is reserved for things like vegetable braises. Braised leeks and braised cabbage quickly come to mind. Chicken pieces and seafood, such as braised scallops, also fall into this quicker-cooking category. These foods are not naturally tough and can be braised in times ranging from a few minutes to up to 2 hours.

Braising, step by step 

With a little basic knowledge of the science of braising, and a sale on veal shanks at the butcher, we’re ready to make osso buco. At this point, a tasty recipe, good technique and proper equipment come into play. Many terrific sources and cookbooks have delicious recipes that could serve as inspiration for production formulas.

Proper equipment is vitally important to a successful braise. The determining factors of a good braising pot are weight, size and material construction. A braising pot must be heavy on the bottom and sides to conduct heat at a slow, even rate and hold the heat to provide for steady simmer. The braised food must be held snugly in the pot. A good fit means that the sauce and the meat or other main ingredient are close together to provide good flavor interaction. The pot is an important partner in the braising cycle. If it provides a good fit to the main ingredient, then the steam that comes off the food will condense back down from the lid in a more-concentrated fashion, yielding a more-flavorful finished sauce. Too large of a pot gives a larger surface area, resulting in a higher probability of evaporative loss and less flavor development. Materials that are good conductors and holders of heat for braising are cast iron, enamel coated cast iron, and heavy-gauge stainless steel. Some earthenware pots also work well. Dutch ovens, large skillets and rondeaus (wide, low, two-handled pots, often made from stainless steel) are common equipment associated with braising. Lastly, a tight-fitting lid for the pot is critical.

Braising can be broken up into stages: searing the food, adding aromatics, adding the braising liquid, deglazing and finishing the braise.

Searing, or browning, the food provides the essential first step in terms of flavor development. Because braising is a moist-heat cooking method, meat could not develop this browning without this critical first stage. The cook needs to be patient and allow the outside of the food to properly brown or caramelize to develop an appealing flavor and appearance. The caramelizing of the sugars, or the Maillard reaction of the proteins and sugars, happens at high temperatures— from 300°F to 500°F—and creates a number of flavorful compounds that build the first layer of flavor in the braise and also develop much of the character in the finished dish.

Start the browning process by adding a little fat to the pot and bringing the pot to a medium to medium-high heat before adding the meat. Remember that each component added will play a part in determining the eventual flavor of the braise, and this goes for the fat, too. Bits of food and drippings left in the bottom of the pot after browning also contribute to the complex flavor in the finished braise.

The length of the braise determines when to add aromatics—that is, vegetables and herbs. Carrots, onions, celery, shallots and a whole host of herbs and spices are typical examples of the aromatics found in braises. They contribute flavor as they simmer in the braising liquid and provide a finished flavor profile that is fuller or richer than what could be achieved by each individual component. Longer braises require aromatics to hold up to extended cook times. Therefore, vegetable cuts and sizes need to be considered.

Choosing a braising liquid is important because this is where flavors mingle and combine to give the characteristic finished flavor profile. The right liquid helps to build an intense flavor and also provide good body to the dish.

Keep in mind that the braising liquid will affect the finished flavor profile of the dish. Stock and wine are most often used in this process, but beer braises also work—and even cider or vinegar in some instances.

Stocks lend braises their richness and heartiness, while wine contributes acidity to balance the full-bodied flavor and richness. A key point to adding the liquid is deglazing the pan of its bits of meat and drippings that were still in the pot from the browning stage.

The final flavor build occurs during the finishing, or reducing, stage. Reducing the braising liquid is critical for concentrating and intensifying flavor. In general terms, the braising liquid should reduce by half its original volume. The liquid will become more viscous during this stage. Be careful to not season too heavily since flavors concentrate quite a bit during this stage of the braise.

Scaling up the braise 

In a strict, classical sense, braising needs time for flavor development to take place. Braising is synonymous with slow cooking.

But in a manufacturing setting, time is synonymous with money. As product developers and chefs, we are tasked with building “stove time” into the products we create without slowing down plant-production capacities.

Fortunately, products and equipment are available that help capture these braised qualities and stove time in foods. Industrial-sized braisers and tilt skillets, as they are sometimes referred to, replicate a home Dutch oven rather nicely in that they have a wide bottom for proper surface area with slightly angled sides and tight lids to generate the necessary condensation and flavor development.

Larger industrial models are capable of holding 600- to 700-lb. batches of braised foods. To be cost effective, efficient and not sacrifice quality, creative flavors and short-cut steps can substitute for classic braising procedures on an industrial scale. Some available products impart characteristic flavor notes of braising.

By adding these bases, concentrates or flavors, finished products can quite successfully mimic traditional braises. For example, Eatem Foods Corporation, Vineland, NJ, makes a braised beef concentrate that has all of the stove time built into it. Mixed with liquid—water will do—the product imparts flavor notes of seared beef and provides a rich, fatty mouthfeel that enables a manufacturer to significantly reduce process time. Adding a burgundy flavor, if so desired, makes for a delicious braised pot roast.

Developers can think of braises as building components. Each component of a braise is unique, and the finished flavors comprise a profile that’s totally different than each component. For example, a product designer may find it easier to incorporate a seared note in the sauce as opposed to the meat, as classically would be the case. Dishes such as pot roast and coq au vin scale up well and have been manufactured for years.

Understanding braising in its classical sense enables us to cleverly use the tools available to us, and as chefs and developers we can break free from the bonds of time and create new products that come from the tradition of slow cooking. How does braised sea scallops with braised Belgian endive and bacon sound? Now I would buy that.

Bill Cawley is director of technical and culinary applications for Eatem Foods, Vineland, NJ. A graduate of the University of Delaware and the Restaurant School of Philadelphia, Cawley has worked in R&D for 15 years specializing in soup, sauce, salad dressing and marinade product development. He is a member of the Research Chefs Association.

Braised Lamb: An Affordable and Flavorful Dish

While rack of lamb remains the most-popular lamb entrée, braised lamb is growing in popularity and allows the use of more-affordable cuts of American lamb.

According to the American Lamb Board, Denver, braising is best suited for larger cuts of working muscles, such as lamb fore-shank, hind-shank or shoulders.

By first searing the lamb in a small amount of clarified fat, the exterior is caramelized. This helps deepen the unique lamb flavor profile and adds beautiful, brown color. Adding a cooking medium, such as a combination of wine and flavorful stock, and allowing it to slowly simmer for an extended period of time will lead to the most-succulent, fork-tender braised-lamb dish.

Some great flavor profiles for making a fine braise or stew with lamb are earthy and deep and can include garlic and herbs, such as rosemary or mint.

Hearty red wines, such as Burgundy or Pinot Noir, work well accompanied by tomatoes and olives. Dried fruits, such as apricots or golden raisins, are often featured in white-wine braised-lamb dishes.

Chefs from across the country are featuring braised lamb on their menus and their recipes may serve as inspiration:

—Mary Humann