Have you ever run across a recipe that requires you to braise the meat? Does it sound like a foreign word to you? Are you just beginning to find your place in the kitchen, and have no clue about the terms or techniques?
While braising sounds like a scary term, it is actually a very simple technique. Once you learn how to do it, it won’t be long before you’re a pro.
Check out these tips plus 2 recipes from Circle B Ranch in Seymour, Mo.
First, you begin with the meat:
- Choose your meat. You can decide on beef, chicken, fish, lamb, or pork. Of course, I am going to focus on pork—my favorite! You don’t have to start with a high-dollar cut either; the liquid you use in braising will make the meat succulent and tender.
- Brown the meat. Using a little bit of oil in a skillet, sear the meat on all sides, and give it a bit of color. A golden hue is perfect. This will help seal in juices, and the crust will make your dish more visually appealing. Searing the meat also leaves you little bits in the pan which will play a part in a future step—“deglazing.”
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Berkshire Osso Bucco, Searing in Olive Oil
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- Set the meat aside. It’s time to think about your veggies. If you are including tougher vegetables like carrots or celery or onion, you will now add them to the oil in the pan and “caramelize” them. Sauté them until they are softer and light brown in color, but be careful not to burn them.
- Deglaze the pan. Add just a little bit of liquid to the pan (wine, beer, chicken stock, vinegar, water, cider, or juice), and scrape up any caramelized bits from the skillet with a wooden spoon. But don’t get rid of them. Stir them into your liquid! These tasty bits are going to add immense flavor to the braise.
- Choose your liquid. Most braises are created from stock or wine, but little additions can enhance flavor and add a little flair. Your decision can be based on what you have on hand, or make a selection according to your cooking goals or tastes. For example, you can braise with water, but the result won’t be very flavorful. Some chefs prefer beer, specifically lighter lagers (an acquired taste), to complement pork. Cider, as well as apple or citrus based juices, can be used to sweeten poultry or pork. Don’t be afraid to be adventurous—some cooks have even tried milk or coconut milk!
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Braised Circle B Ranch Pork Shank
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In my Braised Circle B Ranch Pork Shank recipe, I added my Marina’s Italian Style Tomato Sauce to the braise. And it turned out to be absolutely delicious!
- Add your meat back in. Put your meat in a coverable pan or Dutch oven, along with your veggies, and pour in your liquid until it sets about one-half the way up the side of your meat. Don’t completely cover the meat; the liquid will seep in and flavor it.
- Add a little spice. It’s customary to use bay leaves, and salt and pepper is usually a given, but don’t limit yourself!
- Cover and cook. The hardest part of your work is over. Slide the meat into the oven and cook on low heat, usually 325° but no more than 350°. The meat should cook for about 2-3 hours depending on the cut, but you will know when it is done because the meat will be tender and literally sliding off the bone, or easily cut with a knife.
- Broth or Sauce. At this point, you can serve the meat as is or you can choose to create a sauce, which will enhance the dish. Take out the meat and the vegetables. Skim off the fat, and simmer the liquid until it thickens enough to coat a spoon. Then add your meat and veggies back in to heat them back through.
- Give it a little zing. If you want to add texture or give the dish your own personal touch, you can top it off with a handful of chopped herbs, grated citrus zest, or crème fraiche.
When I make Berkshire Pork Osso Bucco, I top it off with a classic Italian gremolata—parsley, garlic, and lemon zest.
And that’s it. Braising, once you understand the process, is as simple as breathing. I hope you give braising a try, experiment, and have as much fun with it as I do!
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"Last night I made the Osso Bucco and I was amazed how delicious it turned out.
These are the ingredients. I used Veal Shanks. " ~Shelly
- 4-6 meaty slices of pork shank, cut 1.5 inches thick
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup carrots diced
- 1/3 cup onions diced
- 1/3 cup celery diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
Gremolata
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leafed parsley, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest, grated
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| Veal Shanks Browning |
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven. Add the shanks and brown on both sides.
- Remove the shanks from the dutch oven. Reduce the heat to medium, and add the carrots, onions, celery and garlic. Cook and stir until the vegetables have softened-5 to 10 minutes.
- Add the wine, chicken stock, salt and black pepper. Add the shanks back to the stock and bring to a boil.
- With the lid back on the pot put the Dutch oven into the oven and cook the shanks for one to two hours, or until fork-tender.
- Sear the Berkshire Osso Bucco in Olive Oil.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and prepare the Gremolata.
Gremolata
- Check the shanks that they are fully cooked.
- Take the shanks out of the pot.
- Reduce the liquid in the Dutch Oven by half and add the gremolata, a classic Northern Italian seasoning.
- Return shanks to the pot.
I served it with Garlic Mashed Potatoes. So Yummy!
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