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" Skill: Braising Chef: Kevin Callaghan, ACME Food &amp;amp;amp; Beverage Co., Carrboro, North Carolina Braising is a two-step technique that works best with economical cuts of meat like chuck, shank, and brisket. The meat is first browned on the stove, covered, and then slowly cooked at a low temperature (either in the oven or on the stove) in a small amount of seasoned liquid so that connective tissue and the meat&amp;#039;s own fat melt away to flavor and enrich that cooking liquid, yielding very tender results. Braising is about steam. It requires an oven casserole dish that&amp;#039;s heavy enough to regulate and distribute heat evenly throughout the meat during the cooking process and that can be used on the stovetop as well as in the oven. Lids should fit tightly so the steam from the simmering liquid can rise, collect and condense on the underside of the lid, and then drip back into the pot to ensure continuous, natural basting. (See our Dutch oven advice here.)  3\u00BD to 4 lbs chuck roast (at least 3 inches thick) \u00BD cup all-purpose flour whisked with 1 tbsp  onion powder and 2 tsp garlic powder 4 garlic cloves, cut in half  coarse salt and ground black pepper 2 tbsp canola oil 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted  6 cups sliced sweet onions (4 medium-sized Vidalia, halved and cut from top to bottom (not across), about \u00BD-inch thick 6 cups sliced button mushrooms (about 1 lb) \u00BE cup bourbon 1\u00BD cups Madeira or marsala or other inexpensive, sweet cooking wine (not sherry) 3 cups chicken stock  several sprigs rosemary and parsley, tied together with butcher&amp;#039;s twine Optional: Dijon mustard  Let roast come to room temperature. Place seasoned flour in a shallow plate or pie pan. Set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  With a sharp knife, slit veins of fat (or the meat itself) and insert garlic halves fully, so they don&amp;#039;t pop out when the roast contracts during cooking. Then, using your hands, generously rub salt and pepper into the meat.1 Place roast into flour mixture and turn over. There will be a good coating of flour on the roast.2 Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add melted butter, allowing the water to cook off and the milk solids to sink to the bottom of the pan, about 30 seconds. Wait for milk solids to boil off (30 seconds), then put roast into the pan to sear. It should sizzle loudly.  Reduce heat a bit. After a minute or so, using tongs or a fork, make sure that the roast isn&amp;#039;t stuck to the pan and can slide easily. But don&amp;#039;t mess with the roast too much. Let it get a good, dark-brown sear on the first side, about 5 minutes. Do not undercook \u2014 gray meat is not seared meat. Turn over and cook other side the same way. When both sides are browned, remove roast from skillet and place on a roasting rack or cooling rack.3 Turn heat back to medium-high. Add onions to the hot fat. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir onions, scraping up any and all bits stuck to the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and let cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and stir, adding salt and pepper as you go. Let cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Add bourbon (careful, it may flame up), stir well, and let boil for 2 minutes. Add Madeira and bring to a boil again. Let reduce for 5 minutes. (Taste liquid to make sure all the alcohol is gone.) Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Taste liquid for salt and pepper \u2014 too little salt in the broth will make the roast significantly less flavorful, and the dish hinges on a good kick of black pepper balanced against the sweetness of the Madeira/bourbon component. Place roast in Dutch oven with herb bouquet. (If possible, place a small roasting rack in the bottom of the pot. It will keep the roast elevated and prevent scorching.) Pour onion mixture over roast, making sure that the liquid comes only halfway up the roast. Using the spatula, scrape any mushrooms and onions off the top surface of the roast and into cooking liquid. Bring the liquid back up just to a simmer (not a full boil, just a slight agitation of the surface and tiny bubbles around the sides of the pot). Place lid on pot and put into oven. Cook until fork tender, 3 to 4 hours. Before serving, let the meat rest in the liquid just long enough for the roast to reabsorb its juices, about 15 minutes. And whether it&amp;#039;s July or December, you need to offset the deep, dark, undertone flavors of braised beef with a little &amp;quot;brightness&amp;quot; in the form of acidity. I often whisk a tablespoon or so of Dijon mustard into the liquid before serving. Or I copy my grandmother and serve chowchow or bread-and-butter pickles on the side. 1Don&amp;#039;t be shy. The salt will bring juice out of the meat, making it damp. 2Ultimately, the melted butter and the flour form a makeshift roux in the oven, designed to slightly thicken the cooking liquid. 3If you put the hot roast on a flat surface, it will bleed and you&amp;#039;ll lose precious liquid. Leftovers: Braised dishes are even better the second day. Let the meat cool in the cooking liquid, remove, and refrigerate separately. To serve: Spoon the fat from the liquid while it&amp;#039;s still cold and discard. Bring the meat and liquid to room temperature before reheating. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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