moisture exuding from the vegetables will help deglaze the
fond left behind by the browned beef). Time for the umami
bombs: anchovies, Marmite, and soy make their way into
pretty much every braised dish I make, for their savory
glutamates.
While French-style braises may resort to rich reduced veal
stocks to thicken the gravy, flour is the thickener of choice
stateside. Next up, a bottle of wine. It’s not especially
traditional in an American pot roast, but, just like anchovies,
Marmite, and soy sauce, wine is rich in savory glutamates,
adding meatiness to the broth, as well as complex aroma
and hint of acidity. Some chicken stock, a few peppercorns,
and some sprigs of thyme and bay leaves round out my
flavor profile.
After building my braising liquid, I put the beef back in,
place a lid on the pot and set it in a 275°F oven to cook until
tender, making sure to leave the lid slightly cracked. Why,
you may ask? Temperature regulation. With a completely
sealed lid, the water inside the pot rapidly reaches the
boiling point—a temperature at which, given time, over 50
percent of the moisture in a piece of beef will be forced out.
By keeping the lid ajar, you can keep the contents of the pot
at around 185°F, even in a 275°F oven! (For a more
complete explanation, see “Experiment: Boiling Water
Under Cover,” here, and “Stovetop Versus Oven,” here).
This lower temperature allows the collagen to slowly break
down while still maintaining a good level of moisture inside
the meat.
nandana
(Nandana)
#1