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Braising Revisited

4/2/2014

4 Comments

 
I have more to say about braising!

Since my post on the same subject last week, I decided to follow one of my own recipes and make braised lamb shanks (Greek style) because first, writing about them made me hungry; and second, I needed a picture for the recipe I had posted.

I quickly discovered I had no such recipe
– at least, not explicitly!  I had posted one for braised lamb shoulder Greek style, but not lamb shanks.  Of course, there is no need to have two recipes; one will suffice.  The recipe is the same, regardless of the meat choice.  Unfortunately, none of the braising recipes I posted earlier mention any of this, so I decided to revise and rename them.  I also added substantial additional detail regarding the preparation process.  The ingredients list did not change, except to make the point about different cuts of meat.

As I was making these changes, I also realized I had neglected to emphasize the importance of certain steps common to all braising recipes.  If you are familiar with the braising process, none of this will be new.  For others, this may help ensure success the first time you try it.
Picture
Braised Lamb Shanks Greek Style with potatoes and green beans.


MODIFIED RECIPES

Braised Lamb Greek Style
Braised Lamb Italian Style
Braised Lamb with Red Wine

I prefer to think of braising as a two day process.  It is not absolutely necessary, but it does make the “serving” day much easier on the cook.  I have written my braising recipes as two day preparations, but I have also included instructions for single day preparation.

As I mentioned before, braising is designed for cooking less tender cuts of meat, typically meat with extra fat.  As the meat cooks in the braising liquid, often for two or more hours, the fat renders (melts), and the meat becomes fork tender (as the water soluble proteins dissolve).  To avoid having the meat become so tender it just falls apart, it is best to cut the meat into large pieces – at least two inches on a side.  Shanks, of course, are used whole.  They are perfect for single servings.

As the meat cooks, the rendered fat will accumulate on the top of the braising liquid.  This fat should be removed and discarded.  The two day process offers the advantage of easily skimming the congealed fat from the chilled braising liquid before reheating it on serving day.  When I use the single day approach, I use a meat baster to remove the hot liquid fat from the pot.  A small gravy ladle works well, too.

Braising produces the best results when the braising liquid is richly flavored with a variety of root vegetables, herbs, and spices.  In this regard, my braising recipes (and in fact, any braising recipe) should be considered as offering suggestions for preparing the braising liquid – not requirements.  You may choose whichever vegetables, spices, and herbs you and your family prefer.  When vegetables are used, however, they become mushy and tasteless during the extended cooking process.  This is OK!  They have “sacrificed” themselves to help create a delicious sauce.  Consequently, I prefer to remove them after they have done their job.  This is another entirely optional step, but I always strain the braising liquid whenever I use root vegetables or fresh herbs.

At the same time, I like the idea of vegetables in my sauces – particularly fresh vegetables.  If you agree, there is another option you may wish to consider.  After the sauce has been strained and thickened (if necessary), it will be deeply, and richly, flavored.  When you get to the reheating step, you can “freshen” the sauce (think: add another layer of flavor) by reintroducing fresh, bite-sized portions of the same root vegetables used at the outset.  Give the vegetables time to cook in the sauce before re-adding the meat (for reheating).  Once again, this step is entirely optional.

If you've done any of this before, you already know how incredibly delicious braised meats can be.  If you are braising for the first time, I assure you that you and your din companions are in for a special treat!

Buon appetito.

4 Comments
David
4/13/2014 01:15:48 am

I know this is probably heresy to an Italian chef, but many of the words that we use to describe cooking find their roots in French. Braise is one of them. The French verb "braiser" is used just like our verb "to braise". Interestingly, the noun "une braise" refers to an ember or coal, usually remaining from a wood based fire. The origin of the cooking term "braiser" seems to indicate that originally cooks would place covered earthenware pots on top of the coals ("les braises") for long, slow cooking periods. Being a Romance language, I am sure that the Italian words are very similar.

On another braising note, Grandpa Joe, would the dish Osso Bucco be a good example?

Reply
Grandpa Joe
4/14/2014 01:14:43 am

David, thanks for your comments. The points you raise are all interesting, important, and valid. I hope I did not imply in my article that braising was in any way Italian or of Italian origin. In fact, it never occurred to me that the origin of the word braise might be as interesting as it is. I am particularly intrigued by the thought of “earthenware pots on top of the coals.” This suggests, to me at least, the concept of braising dates back centuries, if not millennia. The Italian word for braise is brusare; although stufare is also used in some situations. Stufare means literally, “to make a stew.” And, yes, Osso Bucco would be a classic braised Italian preparation. My personal supply of Osso Bucco recipes is very limited, however!

Reply
David
4/14/2014 07:34:01 am

No, I did not mean to imply that you said Italian cooking was the origination of braising. The more I read about cooking, the more I see that almost all ethnic kitchens have their own "version" of most dishes and therefore most cooking methods. I find the origin of words (etymology - not to be confused with entymology, the study of insects) an interesting window into the origins of many of our current activities. As you toss out more words that intrigue me, you will get additional comments!

Grandpa Joe
4/14/2014 09:23:01 am

It's a deal!!

Reply



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    Hobby Chef Grandpa Joe has been practicing Italian-style cooking for over 60 years.  He enjoys cooking, entertaining, and sharing culinary experiences with family and friends.

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