Slow cooking: to brown or not to brown?

3-20-2006 @9:08PM kitchenmage said... Brown! Heck, I brown almost everything that can be. Spent an hour yesterday browning beef for chili before it all went into the vat to simmer.

This is a no-brainer if you've ever stepped away from the 'expert opinion' and done a side-by-side comparison. Split whatever meat you are working with in half, brown half, don't brown the other, finish cooking and taste. See?
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4-28-2006 @3:01AM tim said... To Ken Sloane: the act of browning is not at all lost in a stew or soup, or anything else that simmers in water for a long while. The browned crust -- while perhaps not preserved on the meat itself -- dissolves slowly into the liquid, releasing the flavors of the previous browning. Stated another way: do you ever use broth (instead of water) in a stew or soup? Enough said.
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4-03-2009 @4:20PM ChefR0b said... I was looking over some of the comments by the readers of this article and noticed that most people are misinformed about the basic braising technique. As a Chef, I am willing to offer some advice. It would be wise to pay attention, especially if your only source of culinary knowledge is provided by the Food Network Channel.

There are optimal methods to cook certain foods. For instance, root vegetables like carrots are best when they are glazed, french fries are best when they are deep-fried, and third-category cuts of meat (brisket, shank, short ribs, skirt, among other tough cuts) are best when they are braised. When I say best, I mean the method for that particular food that will yield the most flavor and texture. Most people screw this part up, that is why their cooking isn't as good as the food you receive at an expensive fine dining establishment. Some people screw this up on purpose because they are either intimidated, pressed for time, or they simply do not care. Keep in mind, cooking food properly doesn't have to be time-consuming or difficult. You just have to do it once and the second time it will be a breeze. With all of this in mind, braising is very simple and requires very little 'active' cooking time.

Thomas Keller, one of the best chefs in the world, explains the basic braising technique in a simple way:

"The process behind these braised dishes requires thought on the part of the cook, and technique, to create something more than what you started with. A filet mignon is a filet mignon — there’s little difference between the raw meat and the cooked meat. But short ribs, veal breast — they become completely different entities after they’re cooked.

The process of braising short ribs — it could be any kind of braise — is an exquisite thing. First, make the marinade by cooking the alcohol out of the wine, then adding the aromatics: carrots, onions, herbs. When the mixture cools, pour it over the meat and let is sit for a day. The next step is to separate those three elements — marinade, aromatic vegetables, and meat — and work separately with each. First, strain the marinating liquid then bring it to a boil. The proteins in the meat juices that leached into the marinade solidify and form a clarifying raft, which is removed, leaving a clear mixture. You want to achieve the cleanest, brightest possible flavors. Next, brown the aromatic vegetables, to develop some of the caramel richness of their sugars. Then, dust the meat with flour and brown it on all sides. When the meat is browned, add the browned vegetables and the clarified marinade, then finish the braising liquid with some veal stock. Then you can cook the ribs in the oven for five to six hours. When the short ribs are cooked, remove them very gently because they will be so succulent and tender from the cooking liquid that they will fall apart. Strain out the aromatics and reduce to a sauce consistency, skimming often. Finally, strain it again and serve the dish.

Braised dishes like the short ribs get better with age. After a day or two, their flavors have had a chance to mature together. The braising technique takes cheaper, tougher cuts of meat and transforms them into beautiful, tender, exquisite dishes that are far more satisfying that filet mignon or rack of lamb."

Some tips:

A good wine for braising is a drinkable, but cheap Cabernet Sauvignon.

The oven should be set at any range between 275 and 325 F.

Depending on the type and the size of the meat used, braising may take as little as 2 hours, but usually takes 3 or 4, and up to 5 or 6 hours.

Searing meat before it is braised does not pull moisture from the inside of the meat! The proper method is to pat the outside of the meat so that it feels dry before you sear it. People assume moisture is being pulled from the meat because they skip this step and all of the surface blood-water leaches into the pan, thus preventing browning. Just remember to have the pan piping hot, then add oil and bring that up to temperature. Finally, season with salt and pepper just before you sear the meat in the pan. High heat and a high smoke point oil, such as canola is required for this step.

After the braise is finished, the vegetables and herbs are discarded. The meat and the sauce is the only useable portion. If you want vegetables with your braise, glaze some seperately with a bit of salt, pepper, sugar, and water.

For the best flavor, the raw meat must be cut into equal-sized portions, preferably 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches in size. However, braising can also be done with a large section of meat, if desired.

When the braise is finished, add the meat only to a large bowl, being careful not to tear. Cover this while you strain the sauce and discard the other solids. Reduce the sauce, if necessary and season with salt and pepper at this point. Add a few tbsp. of butter to the sauce if eating everything that night. If you are saving some for leftovers, skip the butter step or it will break when reheated.

If you want to have the best braise you are ever going to have in your life, try accomplishing the recipe “Pot-au-feu” – Braised Prime Beef Short Ribs with Root Vegetables and Sautéed Bone Marrow in Thomas Keller's French Laundry Cookbook. This can be rented at any local library.

Happy cooking!


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8-16-2006 @12:19PM E. Hanks said... I'm a tremendous fan of AB but sometimes he gets carried away. As far as braising is concerned, I've tried it both ways, with pork, beef and chicken. Browning adds caramelization, yet tends to dry the meat out- yes even in a braise. You end up with something resembling institutional canned meat. When I braise Boston Butt cuts (pork) I never brown the meat. It will retain the unctuous texture and taste that makes braising so special. Beef and chicken handle browning better, but choose a fatty cut for beef if you do brown. Roast your veg apart and add to the pot or pan. Keep liquids to a minimum. When and how you braise depends on the desired result and the type and cut of meat. However, an expensive lean cut will certainly go to waste if braised.

Try this: 3-5lbs of boston butt cut (pork); place in pot and pour 1 can of condensed mushroom (or the like) over the top. Add 1/2 or so sliced onion; cover, put on low and "just walk away". In three hours you will have porky goodness. Serve over rice, pasta or potatoes. The choice is yours.
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12-24-2007 @12:59PM Bob Collins said... I saw that Alton brown episode. He browned AFTER cooking. His reasoning, as I recall, was no browning first to keep the meat moist and thus prevent pulling moisture to the meat surface. He roasted in the oven under a terracotta flower pot. Once cooked, he browned the roast on the stove top, let it rest for a few minutes, then served.
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1-23-2006 @7:46PM Peeved Michelle said... After seeing an episode of Good Eats, wherein Alton Brown said not to brown first and then we made a London Broil using his suggested method, I have to say, don't brown the meat first. It loses more moisture that way.
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1-23-2006 @8:04PM Andrew said... aah but it caramelises the skin and seals in moisture and flavour...
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1-23-2006 @8:23PM Joshua Ozersky said... I have the highest regard for Alton Brown, but he must have been high when he told people that. Without browning there is no browning flavor; vegetables do not caramalize, and meat never enjoys the maillard effect. The key is to brown quickly, in very hot fat, and not to use pieces so small that they will cook through.


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1-23-2006 @8:49PM Juh said... Definitely brown for flavor. After making numerous slow-cooker stews and soups to save time, I would come out with blah flavor. BLAH! AB is only human, of flesh and blood, born to make mistakes. I love the man's show. I love the man. I don't hold it against him.
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1-23-2006 @10:34PM Ken Sloan said... Alton BROWN suggested not to BROWN the meat? I guess I can see where he's coming from in terms of stewing... the purpose is sort of lost after soaking in liquid for several hours. It's definitely the way to go for a roast or steak or something, though!
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1-23-2006 @11:32PM Huffy said... Another vote for browning here; can't imagine *not* doing so. It's the way my mama taught me, first of all; even more important from a kitchen science point of view, it provides the desired maillard effect as mentioned previously. Nor will I hold anything against Alton, but if a serious chef like Mario Batali sez to brown, I shall brown! He's often said the difference between an okay and a really good home cook is that the latter always browns the meat prior to braising.

Huffy
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1-23-2006 @11:44PM rainey said... In the "Cookwise" section on slow roasting meat Shirley O. Corriher suggests roasting meat at 225? until about 20? below the target internal temperature. At that point the plan is to turn the heat up to 500? for the short while it takes to thoroughly brown the exterior. I haven't been brave enough to do it without initial browning myself. ...old habits die hard. But I am now a total convert to slow roasting ?a Mme. Corriher.

She's appeared on "Good Eats" a good number of times. Perhaps that's where AB picked up the idea that initial browning could/should be avoided.
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1-24-2006 @1:46AM extramsg said... Doesn't sound like the episode of GE was on braising if they were using a London Broil which is a pretty lean cut of meat and should not be braised. If I remember correctly, he did an oven broiled London Broil. I believe he slowly cooked the meat at first and finished it with higher heat for browning. I think the idea was that if the meat had been heated to some degree first it would lose less moisture during the browning phase. I don't think it was an issue of to brown or not to brown. I think we all know that meat that's undergone Maillard tastes better. I think it was an issue of WHEN to brown.

There's no issue of loss of moisture in braising. The meat is essentially moistureless by the time it's done braising. What gives slow cooked meats its "juiciness" is not so much the moisture that was in the meat when it was still raw, but rather the melting on the connective tissues between the sinews of muscle and any sauce that is created in the braising process.

The only issue I see in regards to browning and using a crockpot is that many crockpots cannot be used to brown the meat. Therefore, either you have to deglaze and move that tastiness from the bottom of the pan into the crockpot or lose most of what you worked for. Me, I don't use crockpots since I bought Le Creuset. I turn my oven on to 250, brown the meat in the LC, deglaze, and stuff in the oven for as long as I need to. The browning clearly improves flavor. It's the difference between a meaty pan sauce and the stock leftover from boiling beef.
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1-24-2006 @9:12AM Mark said... Harold McGee in the popular food science book On Food and Cooking goes into this in some detail. Browning is for flavor. Tenderness is from cooking for the right amount of time at a low temperature, just high enough to melt the collagen into gelatin, but not high enough to toughen the muscle.
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1-24-2006 @11:55AM dwen said... Good job pointing out the maillard reaction Huffy, here's a slightly longer explaination...

When you cook in any type of liquid (broth, water, etc.) the max temperature you cook at is the boiling point of the liquid, around 100C. At that tempereature, the maillard reaction does not occur for meat, you need higher temperature (ala browning) to extract that extra flavor out of it.

Here's a quick definition of the maillard reaction
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillard_reaction
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1-24-2006 @12:58PM Juh said... Thanks extramsg on your comment about using your Le Creuset. I needed that info. I've been a little scared on making stew in my LC. That's all I needed.

On Alton's braising episode, he used a 7 point roast, i think.
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1-24-2006 @2:10PM Joshua Ozersky said... One question I have about braising has to do with non-ozmasome-related juiciness. A corned beef is much juicier if left to cool in the boiling water. This can't be a collagen-related issue, so what gives?

Josh
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