With the school year in full swing and cool fall days creeping in, it’s the perfect time to start talking about comfort food. To me, no food is more comforting than a simple braise.
A braise is a moist-heat method of cooking, that typically, but not always, involves searing a large cut of meat over high heat and then finishing it in a covered dish at low heat while it sits in some liquid. The result is juicy, fall off the bone meat and an incredibly flavorful gravy to go with it.
You start with your pan of choice: a deep Dutch oven for classic braises like pot roast or coq au vin, a shallow “everyday pan” for quick braises like Salisbury steak, or a slow cooker for those weekday “cook all day” meals.
Braising is kind of a lost art. It’s one of those methods of cooking that everyone should learn how to do. It’s one of the best ways to transform those tougher, less expensive cuts of meat into incredible meals that will feed your family with leftovers to spare. It’s the kind of method that your grandmother probably used to put food on the table every Sunday.
While we are usually talking about larger cuts of meat for braising, this isn’t a hard and fast rule. Chicken legs and thighs are perfect for braising and even stew meats benefit from this basic method of cooking.
The method is superbly easy and translates to so many dishes, it’s ridiculous. This month, I’ll be preparing a Cider-Braised Pork Loin, a Chicken Courtbouillon, even a Lebanese green bean dish called lubia along with a number of others that I hope will quickly become a favorite in your house too.
My favorite part about braised dishes, however, is that, because they are the kind of foods that your grandma made, every one has a story. This month, in addition to sharing my recipes, I’ll be sharing those stories.
What is your favorite braised dish? Why is it your favorite? Leave a comment and share your story.
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