A Braising Pan is the single most versatile piece of equipment that any food service operation can own. Aside from braising, cooks and chefs can broil, fry, roast, poach, simmer stews and sauces.
Here are common recipes that can be easily done with a braising pan:
Braising Meat-
Place seasoned meat in braising pan along with any other ingredients needed for flavor. Brown the meat first on the flat surface of the braising pan. Then add a small amount of liquid like broth, stock or water. Close lid tightly and ensure that meat is softening properly. Do not allow all the liquid to evaporate.
The result will look like this. Beef and other meats come out soft, savory and juicy making them a hit on your menu. Another plus is that cuts of meat you would otherwise avoid and which typically cost less because they are harder to work with, can in fact be made into delicious meals through the braising method in a proper braising pan.
Stews-
Whereas as braising allows you to make recipes out of larger cuts of meat, stews let you work with smaller pieces of meat. The other main difference is the volume of liquid. The small cuts of meat need to be immersed in broth or water.
Here is a yummy stew to try out:
-First brown the pieces of meat with olive oil or any other oil you prefer
-Lower the heat to low and add broth , potatoes, carrots, onion and spices
-Make sure the meat is fully sumbersed in the liquid.
-Give it plenty of time for the broth to thicken and for the meat to soften
The result will look like this:
Poaching-Is a cooking technique where the focus is on the liquid itself. The liquid needs to be brought to just the right temperature before the food is placed over it. The most common poached food is an egg. However salmon, chicken as well as vegetables can be poached .
The result is a delicate texture and taste.
Poaching Eggs-
-In the braising pan add water and splash of vinegar and a dash of salt.
-Crack egg into a seperate bowl
-Carefully spoon out and gently place the egg (yolk and white) directly into the simmering water.
-The egg whites will expand and that is fine.
-Once the egg yolk is slightly firm and the egg whites have formed remove with a slotted spoon
-Toast bread and place the egg on it.
-Here is where you can get creative. Many people make a hollandaise sauce and pour that over the egg. Others add shredded cheese, herbs and bacon or ham.
.webp)
