Braising = tasty as hell. What braising is, for those that don't know, is searing the surface of meat (or vegetables), then simmering a bit longer in a bit of liquid such as water, broth or (my personal favorite) wine. What you end up with is a piece of meat that has been cooked quickly externally which in turn helps keep the juices inside as it is cooked further. It's usually tender and juicy and most importantly very flavorful.
You want to cut the meat (or veggies) into pieces that are roughly the same size, so everything cooks evenly. Add a bit of oil to a pan over medium-high heat for a minute or two, then add the meat (or veggies, man I'm getting sick of saying that). "Fry" each size until it is no longer pink, which should be 30-60 seconds on each side depending on size. Reduce heat and add some wine, continuing to cook for another few minutes. You'll also want to add a bit of salt and pepper, and I add a little dried parsley and a dash of Worcestershire.
I like using wine because when it is cooked, it reduces quite nicely, and when mixed with the remaining oil and juices that seep out of the beef thickens into a sort of glaze or gravy.
You end up with something like this:
Some home style mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables round out the dish. Best part, the beef takes no more than about 10 minutes to prep and cook. Hell, the taters take longer to make. But it's worth it.
You want to cut the meat (or veggies) into pieces that are roughly the same size, so everything cooks evenly. Add a bit of oil to a pan over medium-high heat for a minute or two, then add the meat (or veggies, man I'm getting sick of saying that). "Fry" each size until it is no longer pink, which should be 30-60 seconds on each side depending on size. Reduce heat and add some wine, continuing to cook for another few minutes. You'll also want to add a bit of salt and pepper, and I add a little dried parsley and a dash of Worcestershire.
I like using wine because when it is cooked, it reduces quite nicely, and when mixed with the remaining oil and juices that seep out of the beef thickens into a sort of glaze or gravy.
You end up with something like this:
Some home style mashed potatoes and sauteed vegetables round out the dish. Best part, the beef takes no more than about 10 minutes to prep and cook. Hell, the taters take longer to make. But it's worth it.