A whole chicken. A roll of beef. A tender piece of roast beef. Golden brown and full of flavour outside, tender and juicy inside. That is the result of braising, and it comes down to a simple order: first brown, then cook gently.
Braising is browning meat or poultry all over first at high temperature and then letting it cook more slowly in the pan, in a roasting tin or in the oven. That gives you two things at once: a flavourful crust and an evenly cooked, tender inside.
What is braising?
Braising combines two steps. The first is browning at high temperature (searing). The second is cooking on a lower temperature, with or without a lid.
It is suitable for larger pieces:
- a roast of beef, pork or veal;
- a whole chicken or turkey;
- leg of lamb or rack of lamb;
- stuffed and rolled pieces of meat.
Why brown first?
A well-known myth is that searing “seals in” the juices. That isn’t true: meat with a crust loses moisture too. Searing does something else and that is at least as important: the brown crust creates a lot of flavour and depth.
Searing gives flavour, not a seal. You keep the juices with the right temperature and the resting.
How to braise well
Step 1 – Take the meat out of the fridge in good time
Let a large piece of beef or lamb come to room temperature for about an hour (no longer than two hours out of the fridge) and pat it dry. Season it with salt and spices.
Step 2 – Sear it all over
Heat frying fat or oil in a heavy pan until it almost smokes. Brown the meat all over for a few minutes per side until deep golden brown.
Step 3 – Turn the heat down
Turn the heat down or put the meat in the oven at about 150 to 180 °C. Smaller pieces go hotter, larger pieces lower.
Step 4 – Add liquid and vegetables if you like
A splash of stock, wine or water with onion, carrot and herbs keeps the pan moist and gives a base for the gravy.
Step 5 – Measure the core temperature
Insert a meat thermometer in the middle. Take the meat out about 3 to 5 degrees below the desired temperature, because it keeps rising while resting.
Step 6 – Let it rest
Set the meat aside loosely covered for 10 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile make the gravy from the pan juices. Then you can carve it without the juices running over your board.
Core temperatures
| Meat | Core temperature | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beef, medium-rare | about 55 to 58 °C | red in the middle, tender |
| Lamb, medium-rare | about 58 to 60 °C | pink and juicy |
| Pork | about 65 to 70 °C, 70 °C to be sure | light pink to cooked |
| Chicken and turkey | at least 75 °C | fully cooked |
| Mince, sausage, rolled and stuffed meat | at least 75 °C | always cook through: bacteria are also on the inside |
A meat thermometer is the cheapest way to get meat exactly right. Don’t judge by colour alone.
Braising or pan-frying?
With pan-frying you cook small pieces briefly in the pan. With braising it is about larger pieces that cook longer and more gently after browning. The searing is the same in both: hot, dry and with room.
What do you do with the pan juices?
The brown fond and the liquid in the pan are the base of your gravy. Pour off the fat, deglaze with a splash of wine or stock, scrape everything loose and reduce. Strain and season.
Braising in the pan or in the oven?
Smaller pieces, such as a pork tenderloin, are often braised entirely in the pan. Larger pieces, such as roast beef or a whole chicken, are browned in the pan and finished in the oven. The oven distributes the heat evenly, so the middle cooks without the outside burning.
Which cut do you choose?
| Cut | Suitable for | Watch out |
|---|---|---|
| Roast beef or rib roast | oven, medium-rare | take out at 55 to 58 °C |
| Pork tenderloin | pan and oven | not too long, dries out quickly |
| Whole chicken | oven | core at least 75 °C |
| Leg of lamb | oven | let rest for 15 minutes |
| Pork shoulder | slow, low oven | takes a lot of time, stays tender |
Slow roasting
Large, tougher pieces, such as pork shoulder or beef shoulder, are better roasted at low temperature, about 120 to 150 °C, and for longer. The connective tissue then slowly becomes soft. Brown the meat first for flavour.
Making a gravy
- Take the meat out of the roasting tin and pour off most of the fat.
- Put the pan on the heat, add some chopped onion or shallot and fry briefly.
- Deglaze with a splash of wine or stock and scrape the fond loose.
- Reduce by half, strain and season with pepper and salt.
The most common mistakes
The meat is wet or cold
It doesn’t brown and the cooking becomes uneven.
Solution: pat it dry and let a large piece of beef or lamb come to room temperature briefly.
The pan isn’t hot enough
The meat turns grey and no crust forms.
Solution: let the pan get properly hot before the meat goes in.
You cook too hot and too long
The meat dries out and turns tough.
Solution: turn the heat down after searing and use a thermometer.
You carve straight away
The juices run out.
Solution: let it rest for 10 to 20 minutes.
You throw away the pan juices
You throw away the flavour.
Solution: make a gravy from it.
Practise with a whole chicken
- Take the chicken out of the fridge just before roasting and pat it dry.
- Rub it with oil, salt and spices.
- Brown it all over in a pan, or put it straight into the oven at 200 °C for the first 15 minutes.
- Turn the oven down to 180 °C and roast until the core is 75 °C, about 1 to 1.5 hours for a 1.5 kg chicken.
- Let it rest for 15 minutes and carve it.
You see straight away how a brown crust and a juicy inside go together.
Choosing and buying meat
Good roasting starts with good meat. Ask the butcher for a piece that suits the preparation: a tender cut, such as rib roast or tenderloin, for short roasting, and a tougher, more flavourful cut, such as shoulder or shin, for long, slow cooking.
Look for fine marbling: thin threads of fat in the meat. They melt during roasting and make the meat juicy and flavourful. A thin layer of fat on the outside protects the meat from drying out. Leave it on during roasting and cut it off afterwards if you like.
Roasting a roast beef: step by step
- Take the piece out of the fridge an hour before roasting and pat it dry.
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
- Rub the meat with oil, pepper and salt and brown it all over in a hot pan, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.
- Put it in an oven dish and place it in the middle of the oven.
- Roast until the core is 55 to 58 °C, about 20 to 25 minutes per 500 grams, depending on the shape.
- Take it out and let it rest for 15 minutes, loosely covered.
- Cut it into thin, even slices across the grain.
The times are guidelines. The thermometer decides.
A timeline for the Sunday roast
| Moment | What do you do? |
|---|---|
| 2 hours before the meal | meat out of the fridge, clean and cut the vegetables |
| 1.5 hours before | preheat the oven, sear the meat |
| 1 hour before | meat in the oven, put potatoes on |
| 20 minutes before | make the gravy, cook the vegetables |
| 10 minutes before | meat out of the oven, let rest |
| At the table | carve the meat and serve |
By counting back from the serving moment you know exactly when to do what.
What do you do with the leftovers?
Leftovers of roast meat are a gift. Slice them thinly for a sandwich or salad, grind them for a filling or simmer the bone into stock. Keep meat covered in the fridge and use it within two days.
Frequently asked questions about braising
Do I need to cover the meat with foil?
Usually not during roasting, otherwise it steams. Use foil after roasting, loosely, during resting.
How do I prevent meat from drying out?
Use a thermometer, take the meat out in time and let it rest. Dry meat almost always comes from cooking too long.
Is roasting the same as stewing?
No. With stewing the meat cooks long in liquid, with roasting in fat or in the hot air of the oven.
Do I need to wash meat?
No. Rinsing spreads bacteria over the counter. Pat it dry with kitchen paper.
How long do I roast a piece of meat?
That depends on the weight and the type of meat. Use the core temperature as a guide, not just the time.
Braising at a glance
- Braising is first browning, then cooking gently.
- Pat the meat dry and let it come to temperature.
- Searing gives flavour, not a seal.
- Turn the heat down after browning.
- Measure the core temperature with a thermometer.
- Let the meat rest before you carve.
- Make a gravy from the pan juices.
Remember this
Braising isn’t about how dark the crust is. It is about the order and the control: first browning on high heat, then cooking gently to the right temperature, and then resting.