On Food and Cooking

As a medium for cooking meat, water has
several advantages. It transmits heat rapidly
and evenly; its own temperature is easily
adjusted to the cook’s needs, and it can carry
and impart flavor and become a sauce. Unlike
oil, it can’t get hot enough to generate
browning flavors at the meat surface; but
meats can be prebrowned and then finished in
water-based liquids.
There are several names for the simple and
versatile method of heating meat in these
liquids, which may be meat or vegetable
stock, milk, wine or beer, pureed fruits or
vegetables. The many variations involve
differences in the cooking liquid used, the size
of the meat pieces, the relative proportions of
meat and liquid, and initial precooking.
(Braises and pot roasts involve larger cuts and
less liquid than do stews.) In all of them,
however, the key variable is temperature,
which should be kept well below the boil,
around 180ºF/80ºC, so that the outer portions