Casseroling and Pot-Roasting

The toughest joints of meat often have the richest flavour; braising, pot-roasting and casseroling are long, gentle methods of cooking in a pot which not only bring out the flavour to the full but also transform the meat to a melting tenderness. Vegetables and other ingredients cooked in the same pot add their goodness to the wonderful juices.

Braising and pot-roasting are similar in that they both involve cooking with small amounts of liquid with chopped vegetables. As a rule, however, pieces of meat are braised but whole joints can be pot-roasted or braised. Likewise there is little difference between casseroling and stewing, where pieces of meat cook in gently simmering liquid. The cooking liquids of casseroles, however, are often thickened after cooking. None of the terms are very exact, which is partly why these methods of cooking are so versatile and pleasing.