So some time in the near future, expect to see either some cross-posting, or one of us experimenting with the other's recipes. Reading Rich's posts on the science behind marinades and capsaicin inspired me to do a little research of my own.
About Braising
Ever since I started trying to re-create my mom's Haitian dishes, I've loved the technique of braising. Simply put, braising is slow-cooking something partially submerged in liquid, covered and at lower temperatures. When done right, you could end up with the tenderest and most flavorful meat, the epitome of "falling off the bone."
One of the best applications of braising is with tough cuts of meat with a good amount of fat and connective tissue. I'm talking about briskets, chuck roasts, and pork or lamb shoulder.
Think about if you were to take some chuck top blade, with that strip of gristle right down the center, and just pan-sear or grill it. That gristle isn't going anywhere, and it's not going to feel very good in your mouth. Braising, however, not only helps to break down the gristle, but it also uses that connective tissue to keep the meat succulent.
According to Cooks Illustrated's explanation of braising, once meat reaches 150˚F, the muscle tissue becomes fully tightened and releases its moisture and juices into the cooking liquid. So the liquid will be nice and flavorful, but if you were to pull out the meat, it would be tough. However, keeping it in the liquid longer and raising the temperature some more will break down the connective tissue, which is primarily made of collagen.
At 200˚F, collagen completely becomes soft gelatin and the tightened muscle fibres begin to separate a little, drawing moisture back into the meat. In the end, your tough and chewy cut of meat can be cut with a spoon. And it only gets better with more time in the pot.
Beef chuck top blade steak
Think about if you were to take some chuck top blade, with that strip of gristle right down the center, and just pan-sear or grill it. That gristle isn't going anywhere, and it's not going to feel very good in your mouth. Braising, however, not only helps to break down the gristle, but it also uses that connective tissue to keep the meat succulent.
Succulent
According to Cooks Illustrated's explanation of braising, once meat reaches 150˚F, the muscle tissue becomes fully tightened and releases its moisture and juices into the cooking liquid. So the liquid will be nice and flavorful, but if you were to pull out the meat, it would be tough. However, keeping it in the liquid longer and raising the temperature some more will break down the connective tissue, which is primarily made of collagen.
At 200˚F, collagen completely becomes soft gelatin and the tightened muscle fibres begin to separate a little, drawing moisture back into the meat. In the end, your tough and chewy cut of meat can be cut with a spoon. And it only gets better with more time in the pot.
