softening of the vulnerable exterior. Nor is it
necessarily best to cook them at the boiling
point: 180–190ºF/80–85ºC is sufficient to
soften starch and cell walls and won’t
overcook the exterior as badly, though the
cooking through will take longer.
When vegetables are included in a meat
braise or stew and are expected to have a
tender integrity, their cooking needs as much
attention as the meat’s. A very low cooking
temperature that keeps the meat tender may
leave the vegetables hard, while repeated
bouts of simmering to dissolve a tough cut’s
connective tissue may turn them to mush. The
vegetables can be precooked separately, either
to soften them for a low-temperature braise or
firm them for long simmering; or they can be
removed from a long-simmered dish when
they reach the desired texture and added back
when the meat is done.
Steaming Steaming is a good method for