Praise the Braise!
Praise the Braise!
First up, what’s a braise?
Braises are meats cooked with low and slow exposure to moisture, which breaks down collagenous connective tissue in the meat – yielding tender soft meat surrounded by a collagen-rich broth. For my health and budget goals, I aim to eat braised meats about two times a week, the dishes that make the most frequent appearances in our home are:
Why Braise?
I like to have a stock of these types of dishes in my fridge for a couple reasons:
1) Braises are made from less expensive cuts rich in connective tissue. That connective tissue has loads of health-boosting collagen in it. Collagen helps in beauty (hair, skin, nails), recovery, gut health and in general immunity and resistance. Bone broth is popular primarily for its collagen content – so you can think of these braises as a two-for-one: lots of protein and a good part of it is the super-health collagen protein. Instead of drinking a cup of bone broth while eating your steak, a braise checks both those boxes (lean protein, loads of collagen).
2) Braises keep incredibly well in the fridge as they are cooked in moisture – no dry meat on Day 2 (or 3, or 4!)
3) Braises are easy to make. They are a “set it and forget it” kind of dish – focus on a few prep steps and then let it simmer
To make a fantastic braise you need to follow a few basic steps
1) Lightly brown the meat in fat on as many sides / faces as you can. This adds texture and depth of flavor to your finished dish