Cooking regime

Sear, then wet, for a long time

Dry heat browns and cannot tenderise a tough cut. Wet heat tenderises and cannot brown. The combination regime does both in sequence, and it is the reason braising produces food that neither method alone can.

Two stages doing two different jobs

The searing stage is short, dry and very hot. Its entire purpose is the Maillard reaction — the browned surface and the hundreds of aromatic compounds that come with it. It does not seal anything in, and it contributes nothing to tenderness.

The wet stage is long, gentle and well below boiling. Its purpose is to hold the meat at a temperature where collagen slowly converts to gelatine, which is what turns a tough cut soft and gives the sauce its body.

The two are done in that order because a wet surface cannot brown. Once liquid is in the pot, the opportunity has gone.

The sequence

1. Dry the meat thoroughly and season it. A wet surface will not brown.
2. Sear in batches in a hot heavy pot. Crowding drops the temperature and the meat steams.
3. Take the meat out and brown the aromatics in the same fat.
4. Deglaze with wine, stock or water, scraping everything off the base. That fond is a large part of the finished flavour.
5. Return the meat, add liquid to come part way up rather than covering it, and bring it to a bare simmer.
6. Cover and cook very gently — in a low oven for the steadiest heat — for as long as it takes.
7. Judge doneness by feel, not by time. It is ready when a fork goes in with no resistance and twists freely.
8. Rest it, skim the fat, and reduce the sauce if it needs it.

What belongs in this regime

Braising

Larger pieces, partly submerged, covered, in the oven or on a very low hob.

Stewing

Smaller pieces, more fully submerged, and the liquid is the dish.

Pot roasting

A whole joint with very little liquid, in a covered pot.

Daube, tagine, ragù, goulash, curry

The same regime under different names, with different aromatics.

The right cuts

Shin, cheek, shoulder, neck, oxtail, brisket, short rib, thigh. Anything with collagen and connective tissue.

The wrong cuts

Lean tender cuts. Fillet and loin have no collagen to convert and simply dry out.

Vegetables too

Fennel, celery, chicory, cabbage, leeks, onions all braise well, and pulses suit it perfectly.

Where it goes wrong

• Boiling instead of simmering. A boil tightens muscle fibres and makes the meat stringy however long it cooks. Barely trembling is the target.
• Too much liquid. A braise is not a soup. Part way up the meat, not covering it.
• Not enough time. Meat goes tough before it goes tender, and a braise that is tough after two hours usually needs another hour rather than rescuing.
• Skipping the sear, which costs most of the flavour and cannot be added later.
• A lean cut, which will never become tender because there was no collagen.
• Not reducing at the end. The sauce is usually thin when the meat is ready, and it should be finished separately.
• Eating it the same day. Almost everything in this regime is better the next.

Common questions