braising

• braising involves slowly cooking food in an ovenproof pot that has the lid on and contains liquid and often herbs or vegetables
• food is cooked in the covered pot by a mixture of simmering and steaming
• braising is a great method for big and tough joints of meat because the gentle cooking of the meat helps to tenderise it
• before meat is braised, its usually lightly fried to brown and seal it - this helps to keep juices inside the meat and gives it a caramelised flavour
• the flavours from the liquid and any vegetables and herbs in the pot are also absorbed by the joint
• when braising, heat is transferred through conduction and convection