Braising and Stewing

Braising is the cooks’ alchemy. It is the art of rendering tough cuts of meat into melting flavours of comfort – it is where the finished dish outweighs the sum of its parts. It is in this type of cooking that time is the most important player, and the reward for patience is gold. It may seem complex, but nothing could be further from the truth; just follow a couple of golden rules and the most delicious of meals will be yours.

Braising means to cook in small amounts of liquid, usually after an initial browning of the main ingredient, so it is a combination of dry and moist cooking. Braises are generally served with the cooking liquid, which forms the sauce. Braises and stews can be cooked either on the stove over low heat or in a low oven, in a large saucepan or ovenproof dish with a tight-fitting lid. As I said, the most important thing to remember is time. A good braise cannot be rushed. Quick cooking will just toughen the meat. A stew is basically the same as a braise, but usually the ingredients are cut into smaller pieces, so it is not uncommon for a stew to be fully covered by the liquid.