Particularly in the cooler months, I find myself drawn again and again to braised dishes. Not simply because the long, slow cooking warms up the kitchen and fills the house with comforting aromas, but because my favorite braised dishes are by and large childhood comfort foods. Pot roasts, cube steak, a variety of chicken dinners... all smell, look, and taste amazing and turn out oh-so-tender. And, they make their own gravy, making them perfect matches for your favorite starch. After the jump, a brief discussion of the technique of braising, and some recipes and photos.
Welcome to my table tonight.
The basic idea behind the braise is simple: a combination of dry and wet cooking. A cut of meat or poultry or even a vegetable is seared, then finished in liquid. For me it is the go-to method with a tough cut of meat. And I am not just drawn to tough cuts because they tend to be cheaper - many of them have much more flavor and less fat than more expensive and more tender cuts.
From Wikipedia:
Braising relies on heat, time, and moisture to successfully break down tough connective tissue and collagens in meat, making it an ideal way to cook tougher cuts. Many classic braised dishes such as Coq au Vin are highly evolved methods of cooking tough and otherwise unpalatable foods. Pressure cooking and slow cooking (e.g., crockpots) are forms of braising.
So the first question is: What do I what to eat? If you're in a red-meat mood, cuts such as chuck, shank, and short ribs work great. Chicken? Braised well, it becomes falling-off-the-bone tender. Craving the other white meat? Shoulder, butt, and ribs are great choices. Cuts that have a lot of tough connective tissue are perfect, because as they cook that connective tissue breaks down and becomes soft and gelatinous.
Next up: Flavor. The flavor in your dish is going to come from 3 major ingredients: 1) the meat or poultry itself, 2) the liquid you choose to braise in, and 2) the aromatics and spices you use to season the dish. The possibilities are endless! Red meat and red wine are a natural flavor pairing, but red wine also goes fantastically well with chicken (the classic coq au vin). White wine and pork? Absolutely! Chicken? Definitely. Think German or Irish, and braise in beer or stout. Southern cooks swear by adding sweet liquids such as Coca-Cola or root beer to the pot. Bear in mind that the flavors will become more concentrated as the dish simmers, so make sure you like the flavor of your cooking liquid! And if you are using wine, use a wine that you'd drink on it's own - the alcohol will almost entirely cook off, and you'll be left with the flavor. And of course, stocks and broths - either on their own or in combination with other liquids - add great flavor and moisture.
And the technique? Don't skip the sear. I've had so many well-meaning friends send me crock-pot recipes that involve sticking a whole mess of chicken or beef - raw! - in a crockpot with other ingredients and cooking for hours. They swear it's delicious, but... I have my doubts. For me, so much of the pleasure of food is how it appeals to the eye. Browning your protein before simmering it results in a much more beautiful dish. It DOES affect the flavor, too. Without the browning, you'll have a much more one-dimensional stew. Do not skip this step!
Here are 2 of my favorites that always meet an appreciative table of diners:
Chicken Paprikash
I like using bone-in skinless chicken thighs for this dish. Breasts work, but don't get as succulent as the thigh meat does.
Serves 4
8 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
oil for browning
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 large or 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
8 oz button or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1-2 Tbsp hot Hungarian paprika
1=2 Tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock (I use unsalted)
1/2 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Brown thighs on both sides, achieving a nice sear. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Add vegetables to skillet, adding more oil if needed (there should be fat from the chicken though). Sautee until onions are translucent and mushrooms are wilted. Add paprikas (start slow... you can always add more!) and stir. Add wine and stir, brining to a simmer. Stir in tomato paste. Return chicken to pan and add stock. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat and cover. Gently simmer at least an hour, until chicken easily separates form the bone. Add more paprika if desired. Just before serving stir in sour cream and add salt and pepper to taste.
Bouef Bourguignon
Serves 4-6
1.5 lbs chuck roast, cut in large cubes
flour for dredging
oil for browning
1 small onion, chopped (or use about a cup of peeled pearl onions)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
8 oz mushrooms, quartered
1 cup beef stock
1/2 or more bottle GOOD red wine
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp fresh or dried rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in large skillet. Season flour with salt and pepper, and dredge beef chunks, coating on all sides with flour. Brown beef in batches over medium heat, getting all sides seared deep brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
In same pan sautee onion, garlic, and mushroom. Add stock, and bring to boil, scraping browned bits from bottom of pan. Return beef to pan and add red wine and herbs. Reduce heat and simmer gently for about 2 hours. Alternatively, let cool at this point and place covered in refrigerator overnight. The next day, either continue cooking in crock pot on low heat or on low heat on stove for about 2 hours. Salt and pepper to taste.
If you're feeling a little more inspired and plan ahead, I urge you to try my husband's specialty - this heavenly braciole recipe from Saveur magazine. Incredibly tender little rolls of thinly-pounded top round filled with a mixture of boiled egg, pine nuts, and cheese. We leave out the raisins 'cause that's how we roll (up)!
Tonight I'm dining with two of my sisters, grilling sirloin steaks and having them alongside fresh asparagus, salad, and baked potatoes. And wine, of course! Since I'm visiting, I'll post and won't be here much to check in. Please share your favorite recipes, tips, and most of all tell us... What's For Dinner?