[HEADING=1]Horticulture's one-pan braise[/HEADING]
Feeds two for six or seven dollars.
[HEADING=2]Vittles and Bits[/HEADING]
-Whatever meat is on sale at the market. Works best with tough or fatty cuts of beef, pork, mutton, or venison.
-Chicken or vegetable stock/broth
-Wine or Vermouth (cheap out; match color of meat) or beer.
-Oil and/or butter (~1 tbsp)
-Onion, diced
-Garlic and/or shallots to taste, diced or minced
-Other veggies as you desire. Potatoes and carrots work well.
-A frying pan or saute with cover, preferably WITHOUT nonstick coating. In a pinch, a saucepan, stockpot, or dutch oven may be used.
-Wooden spoon
[HEADING=2]Procedure:[/HEADING]
-Preheat oven to 250-300 degrees Fahrenheit (optional)
-Heat pan on medium-high heat, add butter or oil and heat to just below smoke point (translation: don't burn or ignite oil, but get it hot enough to shimmer slightly)
-Add meat and vegetables to pan. Sear outside of meat, getting the top, bottom, and sides of the cut. Hold meat with tongs or a fork if necessary to cook all surfaces. Do the same for the vegetables.
-Immediately add onions and garlic/shallots to contents of pan. Caramelize quickly, stirring as necessary. Try to avoid burning as everything in the pan will become a sauce.
-Add wine/vermouth/beer and broth to pan, coming up to about half the height of the meat. Add salt and pepper to taste and bring mixture to a low boil.
-Once boiling, cover the pan and either move the pan to the oven or turn heat to low. If you want a thicker sauce at the end, leave the pan uncovered but watch the liquid level as it cooks.
-Allow to simmer until vegetables are tender and meat is cooked through. This usually takes 45-90 minutes, unless you're using thin cuts of meat or only vegetables. The longer you cook in the liquid, the more tender the meat will get. Leave tough meats like venison, mutton, shank, or ribs in as long as you have the patience.
-Once meat and vegetables are cooked, return pan to stovetop (or increase heat) and reduce the broth/vermouth mixture to desired consistency. It's fine to leave the meat in for this. I usually reduce it into a thick sauce and top the meat with it, serving over rice, bulgur, or pasta. You can also leave it more fluid for a savory stew.
-Enjoy!
