The Main Dish — Winter is For Braising

If you want your entire house to smell like delicious food, then you need to start braising this winter! The word “braise” is derived from an 18th century French word (also “braise”), meaning live coals, which would serve to heat a large pot of food. A modern braise describes a dish in which meat, vegetables, or both are cooked in a small amount of liquid over low heat for a long time. I would be a bit loose with this definition though because of how ubiquitous pressure cooking has become, and you can certainly make a good “braise-like” dish using a pressure cooker.

Traditional braising takes time. So why go to the trouble? Well, as I mentioned, it’s a great way to make your house smell great, and keep it warm if you are using the oven. In my opinion, braises are also the quintessential one pot meal. Think of a pot roast. You have the beef. You have the potatoes. You have the carrots and onion. Maybe even some bay leaves or thyme swimming around in there. Protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients…all in the same pot. It’s easy, which is one reason why I love braises so much. Braising is a great way to save time on kitchen cleanup.

Some of the most flavorful dishes I have ever cooked have been braises. It turns out that when you have an amalgamation of different ingredients all cooking together for a long time, it’s a great…