What is Braising?
Braising is a method of slowly cooking meat and vegetables partially submerged in liquid, usually a broth. The meat is initially seared in the pan, which creates a thick fond (drippings) that, once deglazed, adds to the richness of the sauce. The preferred pan for braising is a thick, enameled cast iron braising pan. An enameled dutch oven will also work or even a thick, copper-cored stainless steel pan would work. But cast iron is the best. Once the meat is seared and browned, a liquid and some vegetables are added, and the whole thing is covered and stuck in the oven. The meat is slowly cooked for two hours or more until the chewy connective tissue breaks down and becomes tender.
