copyright notice The Braiser Cookbook Copyright ©2012 Winifred Moranville and Richard Swearinger Published December 17, 2012 Publisher: Winifred Moranville and Richard Swearinger This book design, recipes, photographs, recipe style, all other contents are ©2012 by Winifred Moranville and Richard Swearinger. All rights reserved worldwide. For permission to excerpt recipes or photographs on cable or broadcast television, magazine, book, newspaper, or online please email [email protected] about us Wini Moranville is the author of The Bonne Femme Cookbook: Simple, Splendid Food That French Women Cook Every Day. She has worked as a food writer and editor for a variety of publications, including Better Homes and Gardens, Relish, MasterChef Magazine, the Chicago Tribune, and many other cookbooks and magazines. She blogs about French food and travel at her website ChezBonneFemme.com or on her Facebook page at Chez Bonne Femme. Richard Swearinger created hundreds of stories and recipes as the Senior Food Editor at Better Homes and Gardens magazine. The former president of the Association of Food Journalists he is now a freelance writer and photographer whose photos have been published in across the United States including the Boston Globe and the Saturday Evening Post. See more of his work at RichardSwearinger.com introduction to braising let’s get braising! We know why you bought this book: You’ve become the proud owner of a beautiful braising pan, and now you’re looking for great recipes. Gathered here are terrific recipes you’ll love cooking again and again, plus side dishes to round out the meal. Before you roll up your sleeves, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about cooking and serving braised dishes—and why you’re going to love using your braising pan. what is braising? Braising is a cooking method that calls on low, moist heat and lengthy cooking times to cook foods, especially meats and poultry. The meat is browned in fat (such as butter or cooking oil) then covered and cooked in a small amount of wine, broth, beer, or water. Through this cooking process, the meat’s fats melt away, its tough fibers soften, and its flavors become rich and flavorful. Finally, the pan juices become the basis of a succulent sauce—or even the sauce itself. Braising is a much-loved way to turn less expensive cuts of meat such as pork shoulder, beef chuck, and chicken thighs into thoroughly satisfying, boldly flavored dishes. It’s also a relatively easy way to cook and entertain: Much of the work is done up-front and most of the cooking time is hands-off. Classic braises include Beef Bourguignon, Coq au Vin, and Osso Bucco; however, the technique can apply to a world of contemporary flavors. what is a braiser? A braiser is similar to a Dutch oven (a heavy round or oval pan with a tight- fitting lid), except that it has a wider base and shallower sides. The wide base allows your ingredients maximum contact with the heat and prevents overcrowding while you brown. This makes it easy to get the meat beautifully brown before it simmers. The braiser’s wide base also allows the liquids you use to remain shallow in the pan. Generally in a braising recipe, the liquids do not cover the meats—it’s the moist heat of circulating steam in the covered pan that works the magic of braising. Another much-loved quality of a braiser: Many are entirely oven safe—lid and all. That means you can brown the meat on the stovetop, cover, and transfer it to the oven to cook untended. choosing a braiser All of the recipes in this book were tested in a Le Creuset 3-1/2-quart braiser, which is made of enamel-coated cast iron. Cast-iron braisers distribute the heat slowly and evenly. The enamel coating offers another advantage: Plain cast iron can react with certain ingredients, such as lemon juice, vinegar, and eggs, giving them an off flavor; the enamel coating prevents this. Plus, enamel-covered braisers come in beautiful colors. Whether you choose cast iron or one of the stainless steel braisers, all will work with the recipes in this book. Simply make sure the braiser you use: • Holds 3-1/2 to 4 quarts • Goes safely from stovetop to the oven • Includes a tight-fitting lid Braisers with these features include Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge, Tromantina, and All-Clad. what if my braiser is larger? Many manufacturers offer 5-quart braisers, and they may be used for the recipes in this book; however, increase all ingredients by about one-third (you’ll either feed more diners or have more leftovers—a great scenario either way). The timings will remain the same; however, be sure to check the food now and then to ensure that the liquid has not evaporated or reduced significantly, adding more liquid if necessary. bring out the best in your braiser Braising is one of the easiest methods of cooking. Here’s all you need to know: can i substitute another pan for a braiser? We love braising pans so much that we decided to write this book about them! So of course, our first choice for any of these recipes is a braiser. However, in a pinch, a deep heavy skillet or a heavy Dutch oven may be used, as long as the pan has a tight-fitting lid, which is key for keeping the moisture in. Also, if the recipe calls for oven-baking, make sure both the pan and the lid are ovensafe. • If you’re using a large skillet with a lid, make sure the skillet is deep enough to hold all the ingredients comfortably without boiling over. • If using a Dutch oven, you will most likely need to brown the meat in batches to prevent overcrowding during this process. • Because a Dutch oven or deep-sided skillet may not be as wide as a braiser, you may need to use less liquid in those pans—generally the liquid should come up no more than half way up the side of the meat. Adjust the liquid accordingly, and check the liquid’s level now and then through the cooking process to make sure it has not evaporated. cooking tips • Use the cut called for: Braising is perfect for bringing tender succulence to tough, unwieldy cuts. Substituting another cut such as using pork tenderloin in a recipe that calls for pork shoulder won’t do the recipe or the tenderloin any favors: the meat will be dry and tough. • Brown in batches: A main advantage of a braiser is its wide base, which allows you to brown a lot of meat at once, without crowding. However, if you do notice that your meat is starting to boil in its own juices, brown it in batches. Overcrowded meat steams the meat rather than browning it. • Keep the lid on tight: If steam escapes, you’ll lose too much liquid and it’s the moist steam from that liquid that makes the meat tender. • Cook It Low and Slow: Check the food periodically during cooking to make sure the liquid simmers but does not boil. Even the tightest of tight-fitting lids allow steam to escape if the liquid is rapidly boiling—if that happens, the pan can boil dry. If, in spite of your best intentions, the pan does become dry, add more liquid to surround the meat, reduce the heat to a simmer, and continue cooking. choosing and adapting recipes for your braiser All of the main-dish recipes in this book were developed specifically for a braiser. So, how do you know if other recipes from your favorite cookbooks (or websites) are good candidates for cooking in your braiser? Use this checklist: • The recipe calls for a cut of meat requiring long cooking times. These include: Beef: Chuck pot roasts (including arm, shoulder, and seven-bone roasts), short ribs (boneless and bone-in), boneless chuck top blade steaks, boneless chuck eye steaks, bottom round roasts, boneless round rump roasts, eye round roasts, brisket, and shanks. Pork: Blade steaks (also known as shoulder steak or butt steak), boneless or bone-in shoulder blade roasts (also known as Boston butt, Boston shoulder, pork shoulder, and pork butt), spare ribs, loin back ribs, well-marbled rib chops, country- style ribs, sirloin chops, and loin back ribs. Lamb: Shoulder, blade chops, foreshanks, and hind shanks. Chicken: Bone-in chicken breasts, thighs, and legs. Thighs and legs are especially well-suited to braising. • The recipe calls for browning the meat first, adding some liquid such as broth, wine, or beer, and then cooking, covered, over low heat. • The recipe calls for cooking in a braiser, Dutch oven, French oven, or heavy skillet with tight-fitting lid. • The recipe calls for a limited amount of liquid. Most braises that work in a 3-1/2- to 4-quart braiser will call for 1 cup or less of cooking liquid. If the recipes calls for more than 2 cups, it’s likely more of a stew, in which case, a Dutch oven, with its deep sides, might be a better choice. • The recipe will fit in your braiser. Look at the ingredient list, then look at your pan, and make sure all will easily fit into the pan with the lid on. We’ve found that 2-1/2 to 3 pounds of meat or chicken fits nicely into a 3-1/2-quart braiser, leaving room for cooking liquid and some vegetables. Once you’ve determined that the recipe is suitable for your braiser, simply follow the instructions.