What Is Braising?

Braising definition: to slowly cook seared meats, vegetables, poultry or seafood’s in their own or added juices in a sealed vessel in a low oven.

Braising is a great technique for cooking otherwise tough meats such as shanks, shoulder, silverside and cheeks. The process helps to soften the meat by slowly drawing the fat through the meat and the gelatinous marrow from the bones, leaving it melt in your mouth tender.

Braising Technique Explained

1. Depending on what you are braising will determine whether you add additional liquid or not. For example, most meats will require the adding of some sort of sauce or liquid, while most vegetables have a relatively high water content and will require little more than a splash of wine.
2. There are no rules as to what sauce goes with what meat and the combinations are only limited by your creativity.
3. It is recommended that you only braise tougher cuts of meat, firm fleshed fish and the larger brown cuts of poultry.
4. For a couple of great recipes using the braising technique see our Spicy Braised Pork recipe and Osso Bucco.

Related: What is Chiffonade?
Related: What is Crumbing?

Paul Hegeman

Paul was a personal chef to exclusive clients in Sydney, Australia and worked at every level of professional kitchens, from the deep fryer in a local burger joint to Head Chef in five-star hotels. Born in the Netherlands, Paul moved to Canada at a very young age. Experience with traditional European meals at home and the diverse multicultural influence of Canadian cuisine gave him a great appreciation for different culinary styles. His recipes emphasize natural, uncomplicated flavors and fresh ingredients, inspired by Mediterranean and Southeast Asian cuisines. Paul is also the founder of Chef's Pencil, though he is no longer affiliated with the magazine.