You Have to Understand the Braise
By Jim Bauer
@porwest (94730)
United States
February 4, 2024 6:52pm CST
I make braised pork steaks a lot around here. Hey, don't knock it until you try it, is what I say.
When you do it this way, the meat is like butter. Literally. And there are so many ways to do it, there really are no limits. So, each dish can really be something unto itself, and no dishes are necessarily alike.
For the braise "sauce.
Use the bits. That's what I say. An empty jar of Miracle Whip or mayonnaise. Ketchup. Mustard. Teriyaki sauce. Barbecue sauce. There's always something left.
Do not throw it away!
The braise "liquid" is just that. A liquid. Pick what you want. Booze? Beer? Water? Broth? Pickle juice? Orange juice? Pineapple juice? Apple juice? A combination thereof?
There are no rules. You just use the bits and put in what you want.
Put your liquid into the "empty" container and shake it up. Get all that flavor out.
For the pork.
Just season it how you want. Be creative. Change it up. Don't be afraid.
For this batch I used some Italian herb seasoning, onion salt and marjoram. It will be good.
Oh yeah, the braise sauce.
I had some bits left in the "empty" ketchup container. I added some pickle juice and some water, shook it up and voila! A braise sauce.
I know, I know. None of this "sounds" good. But I am telling you I have done this a MILLION times, and it has NEVER been bad. It all may even sound "weird." But again, don't knock it until you try it.
This stuff is delicious every single time.
It is a way to make economical meat into economical dinners which also uses up stuff you may have left that can be used and not wasted. The funny thing when it comes to these braises I have done?
I can't recall a single one no matter the combination that was not good.
***The meat in the picture is as it is being browned before I add the braise sauce and cook for about an hour.
13 people like this
15 responses
@porwest (94730)
• United States
7 Feb
@MarieCoyle I know I sound like a broken record with this phrase, but as I always say, "Before it was a recipe, it was an idea."
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (39811)
•
5 Feb
I do as well. My grandmothers taught me to cook. They raised families during the depression, and nothing could go to waste. Funny thing, one set of grandparents had very little. The other set I suppose were upper middle class. They were both excellent cooks, neither one was wasteful.
I agree, don’t be afraid to experiment with spices and liquids. That’s how good recipes came about!!
4 people like this
@GardenGerty (161612)
• United States
5 Feb
That is the way we cook. I need to start doing it with peanut butter jars, as well. We have an ongoing mustard sauce in a jar in the fridge. Bob loves to try various types of mustards. Sometimes they are good, other times not. He also has a huge love for pickles. There is always juice. Rinse the mustard container with the pickle juice. Put it in "the jar". Use it on roasts or in other things, like meat loaf. It really gives a nice flavor.
2 people like this
@porwest (94730)
• United States
5 Feb
You'd have to do a bit of scraping with the peanut butter jars, but absolutely. Peanut butter is amazing with pork actually. As for what I do, I am glad to hear I am not alone in that. Usually, people tend to give me weird looks when I tell them what I do. But it really makes for some good meat. Onward and upward to you, and thanks for reminding me about the peanut butter.
@TraveOnWorld (854)
• Georgia
5 Feb
I would not use mayo or pickle juice, but the rest of it sounds good. Have a try at honey, apricot jam and mustard with some sherry sometime
2 people like this
@porwest (94730)
• United States
5 Feb
Braising is an excellent way to cook meat. Especially tougher cuts, although pork steaks are not tough cuts. It is similar to stewing with the difference being that the meat is partly immersed and cooked in liquid while stewing is completely immersed and cooked in liquid.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (45072)
• Staten Island, New York
5 Feb
Nice color on the pork. I always hate when there is a little bit of mayo or ketchup left in the bottle and you can't really get it out with a spoon.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (45072)
• Staten Island, New York
8 Feb
@porwest that works if you do a sauce. If I want ketchup on my sandwich I can’t add water and shake lol.
1 person likes this
@porwest (94730)
• United States
9 Feb
@lovebuglena That's why you save the empty bottle until you need it for something else. lol
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (183892)
• United States
5 Feb
All good tips. I'm sure it's all good. Have a great day.
1 person likes this
@mildredtabitha (16170)
• Nairobi, Kenya
5 Feb
You cook it for an hour? Shallow frying?
1 person likes this
@lazydaizee (6735)
• United Kingdom
5 Feb
Your dinner looks lovely, I enjoy experimenting with sauces. In the past I only used tomato ketchup as a condiment , but now I use it as an ingredient in lots of recipes especially pasta sauce.
1 person likes this
@porwest (94730)
• United States
8 Feb
The word "sauce" in this context is a bit of a misnomer in that it is not really a sauce at all. Just a braise. But for whatever reason, I always call it a sauce. Generally the braise mixture never gets served like a sauce would be. But occasionally I may thicken it up a bit into one and serve it. But it is rare.
@2ndchances24 (9682)
• Cloverdale, Indiana
12 Feb
That sounds good, when I get back in the cabin
I'll have to find this post again where I can do this
to some of my meats, but have to be careful.
1 person likes this
