Very slow braising

[paulraphael]

Here are some pictures of the braised Berkshire pork shoulder I made for my parents. It's the second round of my experiments with this amazing pig.

In my first attempt, when I used Molly Steven's methods, everything seemed dry and overcooked. I researched braising in James Peterson's books and in Harold McGhee's On Food And Cooking, and decided on a very low heat, slow method.

The meal included an appetizer of braised fennel with prosciutto and vinaigrette; corn chowder with honey-caramelized black trumpet mushrooms; the pork with a brown sauce of apples, red wine, demiglace and thyme; baby greens salad with toasted almond-encrusted baked goat cheese and golden raisins; mixed iced berries with sea salt and warm creme anglaise; flourless chocolate torte with port wine-infused chocolate butter sauce.

After quickly browning the meat, I deglazed the pan and put the meat in with the sauce ingredients (red wine, apple cider vinnegar, demiglace, chopped apples, onions, and thyme).

It went into a cold oven, partially covered, set to 200 degrees. After 2 hours the internal temp was approaching 120 degres. Time spent between body temperature and 120 supposedly increases enzyme activity, leading to improved flavor and texture. It also helps the meat stay pink even when it's well done (this turned out to be the case).

The meat was then covered and the oven set to 250 degrees. I used a probe thermometer, and started checking the texture after the internal temp went above 170. I also turned the meat a couple of times. Total cooking time was around 4 hours.

Parts of the meat were succulent and pink and delicious. Other parts (especially the large end, which was less well marbled) were dry and less flavorful. I meant to photograph the meat after it was sliced and plated, but got too preoccupied wiith eating!

In the future I might turn the oven down late in the game, to slow the cooking time above 170 degrees.

The sauce required mimimal reduction and seasoning. I finished it with a bit of butter. The sauce was my favorite part.

Edited April 6, 2007 by paulraphael (log)

[alwang]

Looks great. I've also often wondered if there's any real downside to going as low and slow as possible (if you don't mind the extended cooking time). As far as I can see, there's only two possible concerns:

1) If the temperature is too low, the interior of the meat may be spending too much time at a temperature which will promote bacterial growth. Someone more knowledgable than me could probably comment on the risk here.

2) Those who've done 72-hour sous vide cooks can attest that it is possible to over-tenderize a protein, to where it's so tender it's unappealingly mushy and has no texture at all. I don't think you're in any real danger of hitting that threshold with a traditional oven braise.

I always adjust any braise recipe I follow to a lower temperature and longer cooking time.

This also reminds me of Heston Blumenthal's recipe for a 24-hour steak, where a rib roast is left in a 50C oven all day with the door cracked open. There are a set of amusing videos on YouTube of a British home cook attempting this.

-al

[paulraphael]

1) If the temperature is too low, the interior of the meat may be spending too much time at a temperature which will promote bacterial growth.  Someone more knowledgable than me could probably comment on the risk here.

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Harold McGhee suggests we should be more concerned with surface bacteria, which the browning takes care of. I don't know what the health dept. says about this.

It was his suggestion to put it into the cold oven set to 200°. He said the goal was to be around 120 degrees (the maximum temperature for the enzymes) after 2 hours. He nailed it ... mine was at 118.

[hathor]

In your opinion, what's the difference in flavor and texture between traditional braises that you have done, and this slow braise?

[paulraphael]

In your opinion, what's the difference in flavor and texture between traditional braises that you have done, and this slow braise?

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I'm pretty new to braising ... please don't take this as gospel. My one previous attempt at this dish did not match my expectations, which came from some outrageously succulent berkshire pork served by a couple of Japanese restaurants. This first attempt was cooked following Molly Stevens' methods. Most people here seem to agree that they're too hot and too fast.

That version was perfectly edible, but not terribly juicy or tender. It was also mostly gray on the inside.

The slow version (actually the other half of the same shoulder) was more tender, juicy, and flavorful. It also retained its pink color in the middle, in spite of being cooked to 180 degrees. This is an artifact of bringing meat very slowly up to the collagen breakdown temperature. As I said before, the pork wasn't uniformly great. Parts of it dried out, especially parts that weren't as well marbled. It might be that the quality of meat varies quite a bit within a single shoulder.

An interesting test would be to compare a regular low temperature braise with one that also uses the very slow, cold oven technique.

Edited April 6, 2007 by paulraphael (log)

[russ parsons]

i think it's great that you're trying these different techniques. too often, we get locked into rote: braise by searing then cooking at 350. there are lots of different effects you can get with different techniques--not necessarily better or worse, but different. one of my favorite braises--i've talked about it here before--is high-heat, braising a big cut at like 400 degrees until it falls apart. amazing flavor and texture, but most people would swear it could never work. Then the other day, on a whim, I partially braised a leg of lamb before finishing it as a roast. Just 20 minutes in a sealed casserole, the herbs and vegetables really penetrated the meat. Served it medium rare.

i think it's really important to throw off the blinders.

[hathor]

i think it's great that you're trying these different techniques. too often, we get locked into rote: braise by searing then cooking at 350. there are lots of different effects you can get with different techniques--not necessarily better or worse, but different. one of my favorite braises--i've talked about it here before--is high-heat, braising a big cut at like 400 degrees until it falls apart. amazing flavor and texture, but most people would swear it could never work. Then the other day, on a whim, I partially braised a leg of lamb before finishing it as a roast. Just 20 minutes in a sealed casserole, the herbs and vegetables really penetrated the meat. Served it medium rare.

i think it's really important to throw off the blinders.

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A high heat braise! You're a heretic!

Seriously, what sort of pan? Earthenware? How long did it take, and just how big was that 'big cut' of meat?

What the hell fun is it if you keep making everything the same ol' same ol' way??