In this post, we’re going to go through a question we get asked regularly here. What is braising steak?
Braising is a cooking process where meat slowly cooks in liquid. The meat becomes tender and the liquid thickens to make a sauce for the dish.
Most recipes call for red meats such as beef or lamb, but steaks can be braised too! So what exactly is braising steak? More importantly, what are the benefits of braising steak?
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The Benefits Of Braising Steak
Braising steak is less expensive than many other cuts because it comes from the “working” muscles that support everyday activity.
This results in less fat and connective tissue than more sedentary muscle groups like loin cuts.
Prepared correctly, you can get a great cut of braising steak with rich flavor and perfect texture.
Another benefit is that braising steak is a fabulous opportunity to add loads of flavor. The high cooking temperature caramelizes the natural sugars while adding ingredients like herbs and spices enhances the taste experience.
Braising steak also provides a great way to stretch your food budget without compromising on quality or flavor.
In fact, because of its relatively cheap price tag, this allows for investing in better ingredients [like more premium cuts] which can make an ordinary dish into something extraordinary.
What Are The Best Cuts For Braised Steak?
When it comes to braising steak, some of the best cuts for this cooking method are any that contain what is known as marbling.
Searing these especially tender pieces of meat results in a moist, juicy finished product.
Below are some of the best cuts of steak that are ideal for braising.
– Flank steak is a lean cut, but when braised it becomes very tender.
– If you are on a budget, chuck roast is what you are looking for.
– The shoulder of the cow has the most connective tissue which makes it an excellent candidate for long, slow cooking.
When To Braise Steak?
– Anytime! There’s no wrong time to make this dish! Take advantage of sales and use what you find on sale at your local grocery store.
For example, if flank steak goes on sale make sure to snatch up some of that discount meat and use it in this recipe today!
Braising steak is something that can be done at any time and with a variety of cuts of meat. If there ever is a sale on flank steak, oftentimes you can get it for an amazing price.
This is what happened recently when I went to the store and found one on sale for $5! You can substitute other types of flat iron steaks if you’d like but they may not come out as tender.
I decided to keep things simple by just seasoning the chuck roast with salt and pepper and nothing else before putting it in the slow cooker.
The original recipe called for garlic powder but I tend to skip that ingredient most of the time because we all know how easy it is to mince up some fresh garlic into your dish anyway, right?
How Do You Braise Steak?
- Firstly you must consider what cut of meat you are going to braise. In this article, we will use a chuck roast for economy and simplicity. Secondly, what vegetables do you want in the dish? Do you enjoy carrots or perhaps celery would be your preference?
- I’m not a huge fan of carrots but they add a certain sweetness that is perfect with beef!
- Some things to think about when adding ingredients:
- The longer the cooking time, the more complicated the flavor profile in your dish. For example, using a lot of spices adds complex layers of flavor over time so if you have the patience to wait for these flavors to meld together then go ahead and add many spices into your pot at once! – If it smells good chances are you’re onto a winner.
- The longer you cook your dish, the more tender it will become.
- If you’re stewing an ingredient for a long period of time (greater than two hours), you should consider browning the meat or vegetable in oil to add color and flavor to your final product! This is what gives braising steak dishes their rich taste.
- No matter what ingredients you start out with, know that there are unlimited combinations of spices and vegetables that can be used in any braising steak recipe!
- Thinking about all this before cooking may seem like quite a lot but it’s honestly worth thinking through what flavors you would like to create because the end result will completely blow away your expectations!
What Does Braised Steak Taste Like?
This guide is going to talk a little about what braising steak tastes like and what makes it so special!
Braised dishes have been used for centuries as a means of preserving food. It’s true what these old chefs knew: this cooking style really does make meat come out tender and delicious every time!
What makes this possible is the liquid that connects all of your ingredients together into one dish.
Now if you’ve never braised something before you are probably wondering what liquid you should use.
Perhaps, because braising steak recipes are becoming more popular, you’re thinking about just making this liquid out of wine or stock? The problem with doing so would be the flavor profiles would become too complicated.
This is what braising steak should be about. The meat should be the star of the show with whatever liquid you choose to use as a supporting actor.
For that reason, it’s best just to keep things simple and let your steak absorb what flavors it can from what will eventually become your sauce, after all, is said and done!
The first step in braising steak would be searing it because what does not get browned won’t get braised! You might wonder what this has to do with the cooking method itself though.
Remember, food is what cooks, not heat. That means that what you want to accomplish during the process should take precedence over what tool (heat) you’ll use to do so.
It’s part of what makes braising steak outside of conventional methods a great option for home cooks to get the most out of braising meat.
Steak can be successfully braised, meaning it won’t get tough from being cooked too long at too high of a temperature (and thus becoming what’s known as “dry”).
Braising steak in an oven is what most people would think is what you’d do if you wanted to braise your steak and that means cooking it covered in liquid in an oven set anywhere between 325 and 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
The process will vary based on what cut (or pieces) of the meat is used though. If you’re unsure what time frame might work best with whatever cut you happen to be using, go leaner since overcook
As a whole, braised steak tastes awesome! And it’s definitely something we recommend trying as I’m sure you’ll be presently surprised.
Why Is Braising Steak Healthy?
Braising steak is healthy because it makes the meat more tender. This means that braised meats are easier to chew and digest, which makes them a better choice for older people or children.
For this same reason, braising meat will help to retain the nutrients in the food.
This is important as it allows the meat to absorb more of what you are putting into it.
If braising steak is done properly, the health benefits of the dish only increase! This cooking technique also allows for better flavor as any spices or vegetables are able to permeate what is being cooked.
It’s not just an added bonus that many people don’t know about; this method is also a great way to preserve what you’ve bought.
This means that braising steak is better for those who prefer fresh meat instead of frozen or store-bought meats as well as those who like to stock up during sales.
More About Braising Steak
There are several different types of steak braising.
We’re what is known as steaks that are “shallow braised”, meaning that the liquid doesn’t go beyond halfway up the side of what’s steaking, or what’s braising.
Braising tenderloin would be what you’d think of as a type of deep-braise method since its length means that it will have to be fully submerged in liquid.
Final Thoughts
As a whole, braising steak is a great way to cook steak that’s inexpensive and cuts well.
Hopefully, this post has given you an insight into exactly what braising steak is and how to do it correctly.
Thanks for taking the time to read this post, feel free to stick around and learn some more about steak.