Braising
Brown, then cook slowly with a little liquid under a lid until collagen turns to sauce.
Why it works
Dry heat builds flavour on the surface. Moist heat at a gentle simmer dissolves connective tissue. The liquid becomes the dish.
How to do it
- Dry and season the meat or vegetables.
- Brown in a heavy pot. Do not crowd.
- Add aromatics, then enough liquid to come partway up the sides — not a swimming pool.
- Cover and cook low until a fork meets little resistance.
- Reduce the liquid if it tastes thin.
Common mistakes
- Boiling hard, which toughens and emulsifies fat into scum.
- Too much liquid, which stews instead of braises.
- Skipping the brown step and wondering where the flavour went.
Recipes using this
Chicken adobo
Adobong manok
Filipino chicken braised in vinegar, soy, garlic and pepper — a method more than a single official recipe.
1 hrEasyNo chilli
Kimchi jjigae
김치찌개
A bubbling kimchi stew with tofu and pork — the Korean answer to 'what is in the fridge and why is it sour'.
50 minEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️
Butter chicken
मुरग़ मखनी
Delhi restaurant gravy: tandoori-style chicken in a tomato-butter sauce. Famous, modern, and not a stand-in for 'Indian food'.
2 hr 5 minMedium🌶️