By Published Sept. 13, 2023.
This is Technique #48 from our 100 Techniques Every Home Cook Can Master.
Each technique is broken into three sections: why it works, key steps, and recipes that use it. Learn these recipe building blocks and you'll be set up for a lifetime of cooking success.
The most common cooking methods for vegetables include sautéing, roasting, and steaming—but not braising.
There’s a perception that braising inevitably turns out vegetables that are soft to the point of mushiness and lacking in flavor, but, in fact, braising can turn out perfectly crisp-tender, fresh-tasting vegetables with vibrant colors—if done quickly.
Braising typically involves long, slow cooking where the food is seared first to build flavor (though not always), then partially submerged in liquid, covered, and gently simmered. We often favor the oven for braising, where the even heat and the long, slow cooking time are especially great for tenderizing large or tough cuts of meat.
Certain very hard vegetables, like beets, are also braised for longer times, as are vegetable dishes that are meant to be stewy, like ratatouille. But with quick-braising, the goal is to infuse the vegetables with bright flavor while retaining a crisp-tender or just barely tender texture.
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Because the strong heat of the oven would turn most vegetables mushy and grayish, we do our quick-braising on the stovetop. And since we want bright, fresh flavor, we don’t brown or caramelize the vegetables first—we skip the sear and put them right into a small amount of cooking liquid in a covered Dutch oven or skillet. This way they cook mostly in their own juices, ensuring they taste most like themselves, with earthy, concentrated sweetness.
This technique works equally well for both delicate spring and summer vegetables like asparagus and zucchini and for sturdier winter vegetables like Brussels sprouts and cabbage.
As with other braises, the cooking liquid transforms into the serving sauce, so make sure to create a well-seasoned liquid with plenty of aromatics.
When braising an assortment of vegetables at once, we initially tried cutting them into similar-size pieces and adding them to the pot all at once, but they still didn’t cook at the same rate.
Instead, we hit upon the method of adding them in batches, staggering the additions so that none would overcook from lingering in the pot for too long.
If you follow these simple steps, whether you’re braising springtime asparagus or wintery Brussels sprouts, you will finish with crisp tender, vibrant results every time.
Cook aromatics in oil or butter in Dutch oven or skillet.
Add vegetables along with cooking liquid and other seasonings and bring to simmer. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer vegetables until just tender (test for doneness with paring knife or fork).
If braising a medley of vegetables, add in stages for even cooking.
If recipe directs, uncover and reduce cooking liquid to thicken slightly. Finish with any final ingredients, herbs, or seasonings.
Ready to put your newfound knowledge of quick-braised vegetables to use? Try it with these recipes.
Ready to learn another technique? Choose from our list of 100 Techniques Every Home Cook Can Master.
