One of the most popular cooking methods is braising. This dish attracts the attention of people of all ages, from the elderly to children.
Braising has various types, including braised pork with tofu, braised meat with turnip, braised chicken, braised beef, braised duck… Among them, braised pork is the most popular method.
However, many people often complain that their braised dish may not be tasty, the meat can be dry, tough, and the flavor is not fragrant. So how to braise meat properly? To create a delicious braised dish, there are two important points that you need to remember.
1. Soak and wash the meat to remove the blood before braising
Before cooking braised meat, the soaking and washing process is an essential step to completely remove the blood. Whether it’s braised pork or braised beef, the process of soaking the meat in water is important to ensure that the blood inside the meat is completely removed. This helps reduce the need to blanch the meat.
Although blanching the meat before braising can effectively remove the gamey smell of the meat, it can also easily remove the nutritional value of the meat. Therefore, before braising the meat, soaking the meat in water and rinsing out the blood inside is indispensable.
During the braising process, if you want to have a large piece of meat, you can use cotton fabric, straw, or bamboo strips to tie the meat together, ensuring that it is cooked tenderly without deforming. Therefore, when presenting the braised dish, it will become more attractive and beautiful.
2. Braising requires 3 types of spices:
Braising requires the combination of three important spices:
Star anise
Star anise, with its rich and strong aroma and high oil content, is an indispensable factor when cooking braised meat at home. Adding one to two grams of star anise can create a unique flavor for braised pork.
In particular, star anise not only brings a seductive aroma but also has natural antibacterial and disinfectant properties. Adding star anise to braised meat not only helps prevent bacterial reproduction but also prolongs the shelf life of the food.
Chinese prickly ash
Chinese prickly ash, with its acidity and unique components, is another indispensable spice when braising meat. Adding Chinese prickly ash helps quickly soften the meat, while also reducing the braising time. Just 10 grams of Chinese prickly ash for 500 grams of meat is enough to achieve the desired result.
Cassia leaves
Cassia leaves are a popular spice that brings a light flavor to braised meat. Before using, it is important to clean the cassia leaves and steam them in boiling water. This helps the fragrance of the cassia leaves dissolve evenly in the water, and when added to the pot during braising, the meat will absorb the delicious aroma.
Cassia leaves also contain geranic acid, which helps improve digestion and stimulate appetite. Adding one or two cassia leaves to the braised dish is enough to create a unique and attractive flavor.
So, to cook the perfect braised dish, remember to not only remove the blood from the meat but also combine these three important spices correctly and pay special attention to the braising time to ensure the meat is tenderly cooked without losing its unique flavor.