Techniques
How to braise
The short answer: brown the meat well, soften the aromatics, add liquid to about halfway up the meat, put the lid on and cook in a low oven at 150 to 160°C until a fork slides in. Beef shin or short rib takes about 3 hours; bone-in chicken thighs about 45 minutes.
What braising does
Braising cooks food partly submerged, slowly, under a lid. The bottom half simmers in liquid; the top half steams. Tough, hard-working cuts are full of collagen, the connective tissue that makes them chewy if cooked fast. Held at a gentle simmer for long enough, collagen melts into gelatine, which is what makes the meat fall apart and the sauce glossy. Time and low heat do the work. High heat only tightens the meat.
The method
Season ahead. Pat the meat dry and salt it, ideally the day before, uncovered in the fridge. Dry meat browns; wet meat steams.
Heat the pot. Put your casserole on a medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes with a tablespoon of oil.
Brown in batches. Lay the meat in without crowding and leave it for 3 to 4 minutes a side, until deep brown. It will release from the pot when it is ready. Lift it out.
Soften the aromatics. Pour off all but a tablespoon of fat. Add chopped onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook on a medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. A spoon of tomato purée, cooked for a minute, adds depth.
Deglaze. Pour in a glass of wine or stock and scrape up the brown layer on the base with a wooden spoon. That layer is flavour.
Add liquid halfway. Return the meat and pour in stock until it comes about halfway up. Not over the top: the exposed half browns and concentrates.
Lid on, into the oven. Bring to a bare simmer on the hob, cover and transfer to the oven at 150 to 160°C.
Check every hour. Turn the meat and top up with a splash of liquid if it has dropped below a third of the way up.
Finish. When a fork slides in with no resistance, lift out the meat, skim the fat and boil the sauce on the hob for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken.
How long to braise each cut
| Cut | Time at 150 to 160°C | Done when |
|---|---|---|
| Beef shin, short rib | About 3 hours | Meat pulls from the bone; a fork slides in |
| Beef chuck, 5cm pieces | 2.5 to 3 hours | Breaks apart with a spoon |
| Lamb shoulder, whole on the bone (1.5 to 2kg) | 3.5 to 4 hours | The blade bone slides out |
| Lamb shanks | 2.5 to 3 hours | Meat shrinks back from the bone |
| Pork shoulder or cheeks | 2.5 to 3 hours | Yields to a fork |
| Chicken thighs, bone in | About 45 minutes | Meat comes easily from the bone |
| Fennel, leeks, chicory, halved | 40 minutes to 1 hour | A knife slides through the root end |
| Mushrooms | 30 to 40 minutes | Tender and glossy |
Braises are better the next day. Cool, refrigerate, lift the set fat off the top and reheat gently.
Why heavy cast iron
Braising wants steady, even heat for hours, and a pot you can brown in on the hob and carry straight into the oven. Heavy cast iron does both. It holds heat so the simmer stays gentle and even, and a well-fitting heavy lid keeps moisture in. In our casseroles, the walls and lid are the same thickness, so heat moves evenly through the pot, and the slightly domed lid has small dimples underneath that catch rising moisture and baste the meat as it cooks. Enamel also means you can braise in wine and tomato for hours without a second thought.
Which Season casserole to braise in
For braises where you want the liquid halfway and a browned top, the Cast Iron Shallow Casserole is the specialist: 26cm (2.3L) at £80 or 30cm (3.5L) at £90, with room to brown everything in a single layer. For larger cuts and wetter stews, the Cast Iron Casserole runs from 22cm (3.3L) at £80 to 30cm (7.5L) at £120. The 26cm is £100 and feeds four to six. Both are oven safe to 230°C, work on all hobs including induction and carry a 10 year warranty.
Keep reading
- Braised shiitake mushrooms in a shallow casserole
- Shallow casserole or deep casserole: which do I need?
- How to tenderise your steak (dry brining)
- What can you cook in a cast iron casserole?
Questions people ask
Should I braise in the oven or on the hob? The oven. It heats the pot from all sides, so nothing catches on the base and you can leave it alone. The hob works on its lowest setting if you stir now and then.
Should the liquid cover the meat? No. About halfway up. Fully submerged meat is stewed rather than braised, and the sauce ends up thinner.
Can you overcook a braise? Yes. Well past tender, meat dries into strings. Start checking at the lower end of the times above.
Why is my braised meat still tough? It needs longer. Collagen takes time to melt; give it another 30 minutes and check again.
What is the best cut for braising? The hard-working ones: shin, short rib, chuck, shoulder, cheek, thigh. Lean cuts like chicken breast or fillet go dry.
Cook it with
Cook like it matters.
From the cooks at Season, a London cookshop since 2005.