Braise Reheat: Best technique

[MarkIsCooking]

I'm doing a dinner party tomorrow night! One course is a braise that I plan to make today, cool to room temp, refrigerate until tomorrow. I've heard this even enhances the flavor. What is the best method for reheating??? Please help and thanks!

-mark-

[monavano]

I'm doing a dinner party tomorrow night!  One course is a braise that I plan to make today, cool to room temp, refrigerate until tomorrow.  I've heard this even enhances the flavor.  What is the best method for reheating???  Please help and thanks!

-mark-

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Braises need only to be slowly brought up to temp on the stovetop and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. It WILL taste better.

[Fat Guy]

It will indeed taste better. As Julia Child said, "It will only be the better for a sojourn with its flavor elements."

Gentle moist heat is the key -- the meat should be surrounded either by vapor or liquid. So either reheat in a covered vessel with enough liquid to maintain a moist environment, or completely submerge the meat in sauce for reheating (if you have enough sauce, this is a great way to go).

[snowangel]

One thing I learned from Paula Wolfert is to separate the meat from the liquid and refrigerate each separately -- sealing the meat tightly in plastic wrap or a ziplock). This does seem to produce an even more succulent result (using Steven's reheat method -- gentle and moist). The added advantage is that it is very easy to get the fat off the top of the separated liquid. I've also often found that if there are vegetables in the braise, they tend to have given their all after the first braise, so I usually strain out the veg after the first braise and use new vegetables for the reheat.

[Dave the Cook]

As Susan points out, the serve-the-second-day strategy opens the door to a number of refinements -- the new vegetables can be shaped in more sophisticated ways, they can be caramelized or even served crispy; the liquid can be rebalanced (a little acid -- sherry vinegar is great for this -- can really brighten up a braise) and adjusted for thickness and viscosity. Because you've separated the meat, all of this can be accomplished without overcooking. (A variation on straining the vegetables and seasongs is to use a cheesecloth bag to contain it all. Just remove it after the initial braise.)

[juuceman]

I too remove the meat after bringing the braise to room temp, strain the sauce discarding the vegetables, cool each separately, remove the fat that separates and rises in the sauce overnight in the fridge, and then bring the meat back to temp the next day in a small sauce pan over a low heat with liquid to come at least half way up- cover on.

After reaching serving temp, the meat is removed, given a smear of dijon mustard on one side, and broiled for a minute until a nice crust forms on one side. This is then plated with the polenta or potatoes and sauce.

[MarkIsCooking]

Awesome advice everyone - and so fast too!

I love eGullet!.

Thanks.

-mark-

[Always_a_3rd]

cooling the braise in the liquid allows for almost 15% more mass in your finished product as well. That's 15% more delicious!

[alwang]

One thing I learned from Paula Wolfert is to separate the meat from the liquid and refrigerate each separately -- sealing the meat tightly in plastic wrap or a ziplock).  This does seem to produce an even more succulent result (using Steven's reheat method -- gentle and moist).  The added advantage is that it is very easy to get the fat off the top of the separated liquid.  I've also often found that if there are vegetables in the braise, they tend to have given their all after the first braise, so I usually strain out the veg after the first braise and use new vegetables for the reheat.

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I always assumed the reason the braise is improved the next day is that the meat has had a chance to absorb more flavor from the liquid: would this not be prevented if you're refrigerating the two separately?

[Chris Amirault]

Not if you let the meat cool to room temp in the liquid and then separate.

Edited August 26, 2009 by chrisamirault (log)

[fooey]

Not sure I agree with removing the meat, although I can see it beneficial in some circumstances. As a value added proposition, I have doubts. Is much too much work, ja? The braise is the art of simple, should we complicate it as such?

Maybe if you do a "par-braise" and not complete the dish...

If you braise all the way through, the meat will be very tender, falling off the bone tender. Removing it could make presentation a real problem. Think osso bucco: I can barely remove and plate the braised shanks without the meat falling off the bone once, much less removing, replacing, reheating, etc.

I also don't agree with bringing to temp slowly, but I suppose there are applications there as well depending on what's being braised. I usually take it out of the fridge, maybe add small amount of water/stock, put it on the stove, turn the heat to med-high, cover it, and it's ready to serve in a few minutes.

Am I missing something re:slow? What's the point there?

[ummm, I just responded to a thread that's years old. ]

Edited August 26, 2009 by fooey (log)

[Blether]

Moist heat, convenience... sorry, it has to be zapped, or "ching-ed" as the Japanese say. Once to get it most of the way there with the auto 'reheat', a wait of several minutes to equalise, and a final blast to get it piping hot. Yes, the TF is the king of braise re-heating.

[fooey]

Moist heat, convenience... sorry, it has to be zapped, or "ching-ed" as the Japanese say.  Once to get it most of the way there with the auto 'reheat', a wait of several minutes to equalise, and a final blast to get it piping hot.  Yes, the TF is the king of braise re-heating.

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*fooey grabs Blether and shakes hard*

Can you repeat that?

Not sure what you said exactly.

Ching?

[Blether]

It's the noise your microwave makes when it's finshed doing what you asked: hence the common Japanese verb ching-suru / ching shimasu.

[fooey]

It's the noise your microwave makes when it's finshed doing what you asked: hence the common Japanese verb ching-suru / ching shimasu.

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Oh, so you mean use the microwave.

What's TF?

Edited August 27, 2009 by fooey (log)

[Blether]

What's TF?

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Ah... I've adapted this expression out of context. I learned it from a Kiwi friend who says this is what they call tomato ketchup. I use it ironically for the microwave - it rhymes and the first word is 'tucker'.

[Shalmanese]

I've found the microwave is the best way to reheat a braise, especially one with delicate vegetables thrown in the end like frozen peas. You want to bring it up to temp as quick as possible with the minimum amount of violence. Microwaves can heat the interior of a piece of meat whereas stovetop reheating requires conduction to fully warm large chunks of meat.

My method is to heat it until the bowl is steaming but not boiling, stir, then repeat. Never let it reach a boil or you get gummy residue on the side of the bowl.

[paulraphael]

I've had good results from a microwave with small quantities ... like reheating part of a braised dish for one or two people. For larger quantities, doing slowly on the stove is probably a little easier and better.

I think the best would be in a sous vide bag in a waterbath, but purists of the simple art will chase me out for suggesting it ...