Braising turns tough, budget-friendly cuts into fall-apart tender meals, with a rich sauce built right in the pot. The braising cooking method combines dry and moist heat: you sear the food first for flavor, then cook it low and slow in a covered pot with a little liquid. Here’s how braising works, the best temperature, and the steps for fork-tender results.
Jessica’s Recipe Science
- Searing builds deep, savory flavor through the Maillard reaction, and the browned bits left in the pot dissolve into the braising liquid.
- Collagen in tough cuts melts into gelatin when the meat holds around 160 to 180ºF for an hour or more, making it tender and giving the sauce body.
- Keeping the liquid at a gentle simmer instead of a boil stops the muscle fibers from tightening and squeezing out moisture.
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“Thank you for your thorough explanation on Braising.”—Diana
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What is Braising?
Braising is a combination cooking method that uses both dry and moist heat. The food, often a large, tough cut of meat, is first seared in hot fat to brown the outside, then partly covered with liquid and cooked low and slow in a covered pot on the stove, in the oven, or in a slow cooker. The long, gentle cooking breaks down collagen into gelatin and softens the muscle fibers, so the meat becomes fork-tender and the liquid turns into a flavorful sauce.
Braising is a close cousin of stewing. A braise usually uses larger pieces partly covered in liquid, while a stew uses smaller, uniform pieces fully submerged.
Braising at a Glance
| Factor | Details |
|---|---|
| Heat type | Combination: dry heat to sear, then moist heat |
| Cooking temperature | 250 to 325ºF (121 to 163ºC) in the oven, or the lowest gentle simmer on the stove |
| Liquid | Broth, wine, beer, tomatoes, or water, about one-third to halfway up the food |
| What happens | Searing builds flavor, then slow, moist cooking melts collagen into gelatin |
| Best foods | Chuck roast, short ribs, pork shoulder, lamb shanks, chicken thighs, and sturdy greens |
| Typical time | About 30 minutes for greens, less than an hour for chicken pieces, and several hours for large roasts |
| Equipment | A heavy Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, or a slow cooker or pressure cooker |
How to Braise
These steps work for most braised meats and vegetables. Check your recipe for specific times and temperatures.
Season and Sear the Meat
Pat the meat dry and season it well. Heat a little oil or fat in a heavy pot over medium-high heat, then brown the meat deeply on all sides, working in batches so the pieces sear instead of steam. Transfer the meat to a plate.
Add Liquid Partway Up
Return the meat to the pot and add liquid until it comes about one-third to halfway up the sides of the food. The top stays above the liquid and gently steams under the lid. Use a little more liquid for a soupier, stew-like result, and less for a concentrated sauce.
Cover and Cook Low and Slow
Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, then cover the pot. Transfer it to a 250 to 325ºF (121 to 163ºC) oven, or keep it over the lowest heat on the stove. The oven surrounds the pot with steady heat, so it needs less checking than the stove. Avoid a rolling boil, which can make the meat tough and stringy.
Cook Until Fork-Tender
Braised meat is done when a fork slides in and twists easily. As a rough guide, large roasts take about an hour per pound, so start checking around the 2-hour mark. Bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks are tender at about 175 to 195ºF (79 to 91ºC). If the meat is still tough, it needs more time, not more heat.
Turn the Liquid Into a Sauce
Lift out the meat and skim the fat from the liquid. Simmer the liquid uncovered to reduce and concentrate it, or thicken it with a cornstarch slurry or a flour-based roux to make gravy. Learn more about thickening agents.
Braise on the Stove, in the Oven, or in a Slow Cooker
- Stovetop: Easy to start and check, but a single burner can create hot spots, so stir occasionally and watch the liquid level.
- Oven: Steady, even heat on all sides with little attention. The pot gets heavy, so use sturdy oven mitts.
- Slow cooker: Sear the meat in a skillet first, then let the slow cooker hold a gentle simmer, about 209ºF (98ºC) for the Crock-Pot brand. Keep the lid closed so heat doesn’t escape.
- Pressure cooker: Sear on the sauté setting, then pressure cook for tender results in a fraction of the time.
Best Foods for Braising
Braising works best for tough, well-worked cuts with plenty of collagen, plus sturdy vegetables that soften with slow cooking.
Beef, Pork, and Lamb
Chuck roast, short ribs, brisket, pork shoulder, and lamb shanks are lean in some spots but full of collagen, which melts into the liquid and makes them tender. Bone-in cuts add even more flavor. Learn more about the different cuts of beef, or try my Slow Cooker Pot Roast, Slow Cooker Braised Beef Short Ribs, or Slow Cooker Pulled Pork.
Chicken
Bone-in thighs and drumsticks stay juicy and turn tender in about an hour or less, much faster than a large roast. Sear the skin until golden first. Try my Chicken Fricassee, Chicken Cacciatore, Mediterranean Chicken, or Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs.
Vegetables and Greens
Vegetables don’t have collagen, but slow, moist cooking softens tough plant fibers. Sturdy greens like kale and chard, cabbage, fennel, leeks, and root vegetables like turnips are great for braising, either on their own or alongside meat. Greens are ready in about 30 minutes, much faster than dense roots. Try my Braised Kale.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Braising
Advantages
- Tender, flavorful meat: Tough, inexpensive cuts turn fork-tender.
- Built-in sauce: The braising liquid becomes a rich sauce or gravy.
- Mostly hands-off: After searing, the pot does the work in the oven or slow cooker.
- One pot: Meat and vegetables cook together, so cleanup is easy.
Disadvantages
- Takes time: Large cuts need several hours to become tender.
- Not for tender cuts: Lean, tender meats like chicken breasts and steaks can dry out with long cooking.
- Extra searing step: Browning the meat first takes time and makes some splatter.
- Softer textures: Braised foods turn soft and saucy, not crisp.
Recipes That Use Braising
Try braising with these reader favorites, or make my Instant Pot Pot Roast for a faster braise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Braising is a combination cooking method. You sear food in hot fat to brown it, then cook it low and slow in a covered pot with a small amount of liquid until it’s tender. It’s ideal for tough cuts of meat like chuck roast, short ribs, and pork shoulder.
Braise in a 250 to 325ºF (121 to 163ºC) oven, or over the lowest heat on the stove, keeping the liquid at a gentle simmer rather than a boil.
Both cook food slowly in liquid. Braising usually uses larger cuts partly covered in liquid, while stewing uses smaller, evenly cut pieces fully submerged in liquid.
A slow cooker can braise, since it holds food at a gentle simmer in a covered pot. The main difference is that a slow cooker can’t sear, so brown the meat in a skillet first for the best flavor.
Add liquid until it comes about one-third to halfway up the sides of the food. The top of the food steams under the lid while the bottom simmers.
Yes. A tight-fitting lid traps steam and keeps the liquid from evaporating too quickly. Uncover the pot near the end if you want to reduce and thicken the sauce.
Tools for Braising
- Dutch oven: Heavy enameled cast iron sears well, holds steady heat, and goes from stovetop to oven with a tight-fitting lid. Learn more in my Dutch oven guide.
- Tongs: Turn the meat while searing without piercing it.
- Fat separator: Pours off the flavorful braising liquid and leaves the fat behind for a cleaner sauce.
- Instant-read thermometer: Checks that chicken thighs reach a tender 175 to 195ºF. Read more about choosing a thermometer.
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Sources: USDA Food Safety (safe cooking temperatures); America’s Test Kitchen (chicken thigh temperatures).
More Cooking Method Guides
Learn how each technique works and when to use it, or start with the types of cooking methods overview:
Moist heat: Poaching · Simmering · Boiling · Steaming · Blanching
Combination heat: Braising · Stewing
Dry heat: Roasting · Baking · Sautéing · Pan Frying · Stir Frying · Deep Frying · Grilling · Broiling · Searing
Diana Sullivan says
Thank you for your thorough explanation on Braising. I am 64 years old and have never done it.
Jessica Gavin says
You’re welcome! I would love to hear what is the first dish you braise.
Sereana says
This has helped me a lot in my school work
Thanks a lot