About Braising

Braising is a cooking technique that allows you to slowly cook cuts of meat as well as vegetables in liquid. In its purest form, braising is the equivalent of slow cooker or crock cooking sans the electricity. Although slow cookers are designed to optimize the braising technique.
If you are on a budget, this is an excellent cooking technique for you to use. Braising is best used on inexpensive cuts of meat because this mode of cooking helps you to coax tenderness and flavors from the meat that you may not otherwise be able to extract.

History

The term braise is derived from the French word "braiser" (not to be confused with brassiere). Merriam-Webster's Unabridged Dictionary online defines braising this way: "to cook (meat or vegetables) slowly in fat and little moisture in a tightly closed pot."

Benefits

There are a number of dishes that employ braising to achieve their down-home goodness. Many of these dishes also fall into the category of "comfort food." They include osso buco, pot roast and a host of other stewed, braised and pot-roasted foods that soothe your tummy and warm your soul in the process.
The actual braising technique involves wet cooking, and requires that the meat and/or vegetable be seared, then slowly simmered on low heat. Searing is a top-of-the-stove technique; simmering can continue either on top of the stove or in the oven. The process of braising is best accomplished using a heavy stainless, even cast iron, pot which can adequately accommodate your food of choice.
Aside from the obvious budget benefits, braising is also a low-maintenance way to cook great food. The majority of the actual cooking time requires little or no attention from you. The liquids, steam and heat conspire to bring forth a pretty delicious meal while you are off tackling some of the other things on your proverbial plate. In a culture constantly and consistently "pressed for time", braising, then, becomes one of the shining stars in the realm of cooking practices that render gourmet-quality meals without rendering you unproductive.

Function

The process of braising can transform leather-grade meat into a tender, juicy, slow-roasted delight. The long cooking time and degree of moisture introduced through the cooking process breaks down the connective tissue in the meat, thereby allowing the flavor of the meat to better marry with the liquids, vegetables and seasonings cohabiting in the pot with it. After the cooking time has expired, you will find that the ingredients have produced a wonderfully flavorful sauce or gravy that may need a light, finishing touch, or which may be sufficient right out of the pot.

Types

Tough cuts of meat are best suited to a good braise. Do not use lean cuts of meat for braising.
Five cuts of beef best suited to a good braise are:
1. Chuck Roast
2. Blade Roast
3. Ribs
4. Brisket
5. Shanks
There are others, but these five represent the best and most common cuts.
Chicken is also a good braising meat. When braising chicken, use chicken that is on the bone (no boneless, skinless). Whole chicken is always good for braising. You can also use legs or thighs in lieu of a whole chicken.
The braising technique can also be used with fish, fruits and vegetables. The firmer the fish and the hardier the fruit or vegetable, the better.

Considerations

If you want a good, hot meal that is inexpensive to cook, and without having to be a slave to your stove all day, then braising is the cooking method that will produce the most bang for your buck.
Braising is a way for you to indulge your inner chef even if you are on a fast-food budget. You get the best of both worlds: a healthy, delicious meal of succulent meats and vegetables while saving time and money.
Braising is versatile enough in its application that you can cook the foods you love in a way that suits how you live.