Traditionally you braise tough meats like pork shoulder or short ribs in stock and aromatics at low heat for 4-8 hours. Then you let it sit overnight in fridge, and the next day you can reheat the meat and reduce the stock to make a sauce.
What if I braised the meat with just water? Will the water penetrate the meat and make the meat more "watery" tasting?
I read that marinades don't penetrate meat more than a few millimeters no matter how long the meat has been marinading. If that's true, then doesn't that mean water can't penetrate the meat by more than a few millimeters while I'm braising?
My idea is to braise meat with simply water. While it's braising, I can make a separate concentrated sauce.
After the meat has been fully braised, I can take the meat out from the water and place it it in a new container. Then I can pour some of my concentrated sauce over the meat. The next morning I can reheat the meat with the sauce.
Will the interior of this meat taste more watery compared to a traditional braised meat?
