Braised beef is a mixed cooking technique (both dry and moist heat) applied to large cuts of meat rich in connective tissue, the ultimate objective of which is to obtain the "succulence" of the meat through a slow chemical-physical transformation in a closed container

Unlike stew or boiled meat, where the meat is completely submerged, in braising the liquid only partially covers the food (typically by a third to a half)

I WILL NOT GIVE YOU THE RECIPE but I will explain the how and why

The choice of cut: The role of Collagen

For braising, fine, lean cuts are not used (such as the fillet), but "hard" cuts rich in connective tissue (such as the priest's hat, the shoulder, the rump or the cheek)

Why: These cuts contain collagen, a tough protein. During long cooking in a humid environment, the collagen melts and turns into gelatin. Gelatin lubricates the muscle fibers (which would otherwise be dry due to protein coagulation) and gives the meat that soft, "melt in your mouth" texture.

The two-step technique

The technical procedure is divided into two distinct moments that exploit different principles:

Phase 1: Browning (Dry Heat) The meat is initially browned in a fat (oil, butter or lard) at a high temperature.

Purpose: Trigger the Maillard Reaction. This chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars creates the brown crust on the surface and develops the complex aromatic compounds that give the "roasted" flavor

False Myth: Science has shown that browning meat does not "seal" the juices inside. On the contrary, the high temperature squeezes the fibers, causing the liquids to escape. Browning is purely for flavor and color

Wet cooking (Moist Heat) After browning, the vegetables are added (mirepoix), the bottom is deglazed (often with wine) to recover the caramelized flavors and the liquid (broth, wine) is added

The liquid rule: The liquid must not cover the meat. It should reach about half or a third of the height of the piece.

The container: The pan (braising pan or cocotte) must be closed hermetically with a heavy lid. This creates an environment saturated with steam which cooks the emerged part of the meat gently, while the immersed part cooks in the liquid.

- 3. What happens during cooking

Cooking must take place slowly over low heat (often in the oven).

Diffusion: Contrary to the intuition that the sauce penetrates the meat to "fill" it, what happens is an exchange by diffusion. The salt in the sauce breaks down some protein structures of the meat (solubilization of the myofibrillar proteins), allowing the meat to better retain liquids and aromas. Furthermore, a slightly acidic environment accelerates the breakdown of collagen into gelatin so wine yes

If the sauce is "robust" (high concentration of salt and aromas), the aromatic components of the vegetables and wine pass into the meat, while the meat juices do not disperse excessively in the liquid because the environment is already saturated.

Temperature: The ideal temperature of the liquid must simmer remaining between 80°C and 90°C, without ever boiling violently. This allows the collagen to dissolve into gelatin (a process that begins above 65-70°C) without the muscle fibers contracting excessively and becoming stringy

Finishing the Sauce

At the end of cooking, the meat is removed and kept warm. The cooking liquid, which has been enriched by the gelatine dissolved from the meat and the flavors of the browning, is filtered and reduced (boiled to evaporate the water) until it becomes a thick, shiny glaze with which to coat the meat

The vacuum variant (CBT)

One technique is sous vide Low Temperature Cooking (CBT). The meat is seasoned, placed in a sealed bag and cooked in water at precise temperatures (e.g. 65°C or 82°C for very long times, even 24-48 hours).

Advantage: This method dissolves collagen without exceeding the temperature at which the muscle fibers expel all their juices, ensuring an extremely tender result and preventing the dispersion of volatile aromas

Browning (Maillard) done before bagging encourages the development of deeper flavors that "infuse" the meat during cooking

The difference between the two is that the traditional method focuses on maximum concentration of flavors through evaporation, but involves a high weight waste (30-40%) and meat that frays. The “CBT” (65-82°C) revolutionizes food costs, reducing losses to 10-20% and guaranteeing a tender but perfectly sliceable texture, with aromas fully preserved in the vacuum.

Francesco Poliandri, Facebook.