The Kitchen Counter Cooking School (29 page)

Don't use bouillon cubes in place of stock; the result will be too salty. If you don't have stock, use water instead.

Tougher cuts of meat, such as shoulder roasts, short ribs, brisket, and shanks, work best for braising. Whole chickens or dark poultry braise beautifully; boneless chicken or turkey breasts tend to overcook and stiffen.

You can simply focus on braising meat, or extend it with vegetables, such as potatoes, cabbage, carrots, leeks, parsnips, or squash. Vegetables cook faster than the meat, so add them during the last hour of the cooking process. Here's an example:

 

 

 

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
About a 3-pound piece of pork shoulder or picnic ham, cut into
1- to 2-inch cubes
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, chopped (about 1
cups)
2 carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 stems of celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 bay leaf
Several sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
About 1
cups chicken stock or water

head cabbage, shredded or sliced thin (about 8 ounces)
2 to 3 large tomatoes, diced, or one 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 large potato, peeled and cubed (about 1
cups)

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the meat with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. When the oil is hot, add the cubes of pork, working in batches if needed to avoid crowding, which will steam the meat rather than brown it. Brown well, about 3 to 6 minutes per side. Remove all the meat from the pan and set aside. Add or remove oil so that there are about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Reduce the heat to medium.

Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme. Sauté until the vegetables are soft. Add the browned pork and enough stock or water to come to the top of the meat. Stir and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Cover and put the pot into the oven to simmer for about 2 to 2
hours, or until the meat is tender enough to cut with a fork.

Add the shredded or sliced cabbage, tomatoes, and potatoes to the pot, then return it to the oven for about 35 to 45 minutes, until the cabbage is tender. Remove the bay leaf before serving. Taste to see if it needs salt and pepper before serving.