What does braising mean?
Braising is a method of cooking in which food — most often a tough cut of meat, but also vegetables such as cabbage, leeks, or fennel — is first browned at high heat, then cooked slowly in a covered pot with a modest amount of liquid such as stock, wine, or beer. Because the food is only partly submerged, it is simultaneously simmered and steamed, which gently breaks down collagen and fibres that would otherwise remain chewy. The result is tender, succulent food with a concentrated sauce, making braising a favourite technique for economical ingredients like short ribs, chuck roast, and lamb shanks. As a word, 'braising' functions as both verb and noun, appearing throughout cookbooks and menus with connotations of comfort, patience, and rustic French tradition. Related terms include stewing, which uses more liquid, and pot-roasting, its closest cousin.
To cook food, especially meat, slowly in a covered pot with a small amount of liquid after first browning it.
"Braise the lamb shanks for three hours until they are fork-tender."
The act or process of cooking by braising; the culinary technique itself.
"Slow braising is ideal for tougher, more economical cuts of meat."
The word 'braise' traces back to French for glowing hot coals — before ovens had dials, cooks buried pots in embers to achieve this gentle, transformative heat.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of braising
'Braising' derives from the French verb 'braiser', formed from 'braise' meaning glowing hot coals or embers, which entered Old French from a Germanic root also seen in words for burning material. In earlier practice, braised dishes were cooked over embers or in pots set among coals rather than on an open flame, and this origin survives in the English word 'brazier' for a container holding burning fuel. The culinary term passed into English in the eighteenth century alongside French cooking techniques.
Related word forms
How braising is actually used
Braising appears almost exclusively in culinary contexts and carries connotations of patience, comfort, and home-style or rustic French-influenced cooking. It is a neutral-register word common in cookbooks, menus, and food writing.
Easily confused with braising
Stewing uses enough liquid to fully submerge the food, while braising uses only a small amount of liquid so the food is partially submerged and partly cooked by steam.