In this Culinary Q&A, I answer a viewer question on the difference between braising and stewing. The original question was:
What's the difference between Stewing and Braising? Is it simply that braises are done in the oven and stews are done on the stove top? To me it looks like the exact same technique; tough meats cooked low and slow in liquid until they're falling apart tender. What am I missing?
Jenny M.
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Do you have a picture of said
Do you have a picture of said dutch oven? I think the hot coals might effect the enamel. If doing an "old school braise," I would probably use a cast iron dutch oven without the enamel finish.
Interesting. I like the idea
Interesting. I like the idea of the ice on top, which cause the moisture on the inside to condense. I'd like to play with one of those. They seem to make it pretty clear though that this vessel is used for ice, not coal. I'm sure direct contact with coal would mess up the finish. I might order one of these though to play around.
Interesting that the lid
Interesting that the lid actually works "too good." I guess there is something to be said about evaporation. I'd still like to play with one of these though; I think once the concept is harnessed it could yield some unique results.
All this talk about dutch
All this talk about dutch ovens and coal cooking makes me want to go camping. At this point though, I'll have to wait until the snow melts in May.
Then, What Are Stovetop "Stews" Called?
Thanks. Very informative.
Given all this, then technically what do I call my traditional Irish lamb "stew", in which I make a lamb stock (I love lamb neck and other joints for this) and prepare the stew meat by searing lamb chunks in a pan and adding to the pot? I'm not technically braising or stewing at all. Is this technically a soup or a goulash (not what is referred to in the US as goulash with macaroni)? Or, anything called a "stew" that is not prepared by braising (or stewing) but is commonly referred to as a stew, like an Irish stew?
If the end product is a
If the end product is a hearty soup, I would still call it a stew. It's nice for us nit-picky cooks to know the technical difference between braising and stewing, but at the end of the day, the words we use to describe our food are simply there to communicate an idea. Since so many people think of a stew as a hearty, thick soup with flavorful pieces of tender meat, I would label such soups accordingly. But if anyone ever brings up the subject, you can explain to them the finer points of braising and stewing.
Thanks Chef for clarifying. I
Thanks Chef for clarifying. I appreciate the food science you share. As you say, most people who are unfamiliar with formal culinary concepts often refer to a hearty soup as a "stew", which prompted my question (formal technique vs. a common term used in our culture).
Yes, meat in generally served
Yes, meat in generally served first before braising and stewing for additional flavor.
While there are some
While there are some differences, cooking with a tangine, assuming a lid is used, is very similar to pot roasting/old school braising.
A pressure cooker raises the
A pressure cooker raises the atmospheric pressure in a closed environment, causing water to boil at a higher temperature (250F at 15 psi instead of 212F at sea level). For more information on the effects of atmospheric pressure on water's temperature, check out the first video in our high altitudes cooking series: http://stellaculinary.com/podcasts/video/high-altitude-baking-cooking-th...
Because the boil point is higher, braised meats can be finished faster (about 90 minutes). However, you could still have issue with the meat drying out if you're not careful. I've had best luck when cooking a tough cut of meat for 45-60 minutes at 15 PSI, turning off the flame, and allowing the pressure to dissipate naturally as the pot cools.
212F is the max boiling temp
212F is the max boiling temp of water at sea level, so your braising liquid will never be able to get hotter than 212F, unless you're using a pressure cooker.
At 155F, protein strands fully coagulate and squeeze our most of their moisture. This is why a long, slow braise at a low temperature (like an oven set to 225F) is preferred. I demonstrate this approach in my braised beef short ribs video.
For the best sauce possible, home made stock should be used. When it comes time to thicken the sauce, it is done by reduction. This gives the cleanest possible flavor.
However, roux can also be used. For braised dishes, I prefer a brown roux.
Hey JG, Since there was a
Hey JG,
Since there was a lot of information to cover based on your questions, I did a quick audio response. Please let me know if you have any follow up questions.
Right on JG, glad I could
Right on JG, glad I could help.
I'll shoot you an e-mail and we'll get in touch.