Braising
18 recipes
White Bean and Sausage Cassoulet
Dried white beans cooked with salt pork and aromatics, then baked slowly with browned pork sausage until the liquid reduces and a browned crust forms and re-forms on the surface.
West African Peanut Stew
Groundnut stew of tomato, peanut butter, sweet potato, and collard greens, simmered until it is thick enough to mound on a spoon. A whole habanero adds perfume without much heat.
Vietnamese Caramel Braised Pork
Pork belly braised in a dark sugar caramel with fish sauce, shallot and coarse black pepper until the fat is silky and the sauce turns glossy. Serve with plain steamed rice.
Southern Braised Collard Greens
Collards braised low and slow with a smoked ham hock, onion and red pepper flakes until the leaves go soft and the pot likker turns rich. Cider vinegar goes in at the end to cut the fat.
Red Braised Pork Belly
Pork belly blanched, then browned in melted rock sugar and braised slowly with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, ginger and star anise until the cubes turn deep mahogany and the sauce lacquers them.
Pozole Verde
Pork shoulder simmered until it shreds, then finished with a blended tomatillo, chile, and pumpkin seed sauce and plenty of hominy. The raw cabbage, radish, and lime at the table are not optional.
Pork Carnitas
Pork shoulder braised low in its own rendered fat with orange, bay, and cumin until it shreds, then spread thin and crisped under high heat so the edges go brown and brittle.
Moqueca Brazilian Fish Stew
White fish layered over onion, peppers, and tomato and simmered in coconut milk, finished with palm oil and cilantro. The lime and garlic seasoning goes on the fish first, not in the pot.
Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken
Chicken browned in caramelized sugar, then stewed with thyme, allspice, and a whole Scotch bonnet until the gravy is dark and thick. The burnt-sugar step is what makes it brown stew.
French Onion Soup
Yellow onions cooked down slowly until deep brown, deglazed with white wine and simmered in beef broth, then topped with toasted bread and Gruyere melted under the broiler.
Filipino Chicken Adobo
Bone-in chicken thighs braised in cane vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and bay leaves until the sauce reduces to a dark, tangy glaze. A pantry braise that tastes even better the day after.
Coq au Vin
Bone-in chicken braised for over an hour in red wine with bacon lardons, then finished with separately browned pearl onions and mushrooms. The sauce reduces to a glossy, wine-dark gravy.
Chickpea and Apricot Tagine
Dried chickpeas simmered slowly with ras el hanout and saffron, then finished with dried apricots, preserved lemon, and green olives. Sweet, sour, and salty in a single pot.
Chicken Tikka Masala
Yogurt-marinated chicken thighs charred under the broiler, then folded into a spiced tomato sauce enriched with cream. The broiler supplies the char that makes the sauce taste tandoor-cooked.
Chicken Mole Poblano
Three dried chiles toasted with almonds, raisins, sesame and spices, blended with a corn tortilla and a little dark chocolate, then simmered into a deep sauce over poached chicken.
Beef Rendang
Beef simmered for hours in coconut milk with a lemongrass and galangal spice paste until the liquid cooks away and the meat fries in the separated oil, turning dark, dry, and intensely spiced.
Beef Massaman Curry
Beef chuck braised slowly in coconut milk with massaman paste, potatoes, roasted peanuts and tamarind. The balance is mild and sweet-sour rather than fiery, with warm spice underneath.
Beef Birria Tacos
Chuck braised until shreddable in a guajillo and ancho adobo, then folded into corn tortillas dipped in the red fat and griddled with melting cheese. The strained broth is served alongside for dipping.