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Braising

Intermediate Heat and cooking methods

Braising is browning food, then cooking it slowly, partly covered in liquid, in a covered pot.

By , founder of Pantry to Pan · Published · Updated

Written with AI help from the sources listed, and published by Cory. Sources: USDA safe minimum internal temperatures, USDA on the danger zone (40-140°F). Spot a mistake? Tell us and we'll fix it.

How do you do it?

  1. Sear the meat well.

    1Sear the meat well.

  2. Cook aromatics, deglaze, add liquid about halfway up the meat.

    2Cook aromatics, deglaze, add liquid about halfway up the meat.

  3. Cover and cook low (around 300–325°F oven, or a bare simmer) until fork-tender.

    3Cover and cook low (around 300–325°F oven, or a bare simmer) until fork-tender.

Why does it work?

Tough cuts are full of collagen. Long, gentle, moist heat turns collagen into gelatin, which makes the meat tender and the sauce silky. Too hot and the muscle fibers squeeze out their moisture first.

What are the common mistakes?

Still stuck? Watch someone do it on YouTube.

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