Highlights
1. Braising and stewing are both slow cooking methods that use a combination of moist and dry heat to break down meats and increase the flavors in a dish.
2. Braising is done with less liquid and involves cooking large, not uniform pieces of meat or vegetables, while stewing uses enough liquid to immerse small, uniform-sized pieces of meat.
3. Braising typically uses better cuts of meat and often involves cooking a whole cut, while stewing requires smaller pieces of meat.
Introduction
Braising and stewing are cooking methods that involve slow cooking. They both use a combination of moist and dry heat to break down meats and increase the flavors in the final dish. While many people think that braising and stewing are the same, there are subtle differences between the two.
Braising
Braising is a cooking method that involves slow and low heat. It is used for large cuts of meats or vegetables. The meat or vegetable is browned in fat and then simmered in a liquid while covered in a pot. Braising can be done in a crock pot or a pressure cooker. This method allows for cooking of large pieces of meat that are hard to cook with dry heat. The connective tissues of the meat become soft and tender, resulting in flavorful dishes. One advantage of braising is that once the meat is browned, it can be left to simmer on low heat without the fear of burning.
Stewing
Stewing is another slow cooking method that involves simmering less tender pieces of meat in a small amount of liquid until they become tender and flavorful. It is a convenient method as the dish can be left to cook while attending to other tasks. The gravy in stew thickens and can be served with the meat or vegetables. Stewing is great for cooking large pieces of meat that can be refrigerated for later use. Some people even believe that the flavor of stews improves with reheating.
Differences between Braising and Stewing
– Braising uses less liquid compared to stewing.
– Braising involves cooking large and non-uniform pieces of meat or vegetables, while stewing requires small and uniform sized pieces.
– Braising typically uses better cuts of meat and often involves a whole cut, whereas stewing can use smaller pieces and does not require a whole cut.
