When the temperatures drop and snow starts to fall, we’re in full-on braise mode. We’ll braise anything, from chicken to beef to venison, and it’s great every way. Browning meat before simmering it in a little liquid—usually some combination of wine, beer, and flavorful stock—gives incredibly tender, moist, and flavorful results. It works as well for slow-cooked roasts as it does for a quick weeknight meal of chicken in mustard sauce. Here, our favorite recipes for braised meats.
In this version of the German classic, thinly pounded beef is smeared with whole-grain mustard; rolled with bacon, onion, and pickle spears; and then braised until tender. Get the recipe for German Braised Beef Rolls »
This richly spiced chicken dish is adapted from a recipe in Madhur Jaffrey’s classic Flavors of India (West 175 Publishing, 1995). According to Jaffrey, “What gives this a very special southern flavor is the use of fennel seeds, curry leaves, and, of course, the pulse (legume) urad dal. This is definitely a dish you will want to make very frequently.” We couldn’t agree more. Get the recipe for Chettinad Pepper Chicken »
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Lamb shanks are braised for hours in a sumptuous sauce of honey, almonds, and raisins in this centuries-old Moroccan dish served at the restaurant Mansouria. Get the recipe for Honey-Braised Lamb Shanks »
At the Viva Taco bus in Turlock, Silvestre Valencia adds jalapeño pickling liquid to the pork braise, which tenderizes the meat and keeps it from drying out. Get the recipe for Carnitas Tacos »
Two types of soy sauce and a touch of sugar give this dish—beloved throughout China—its signature glossiness and a deep red-brown tint. Serve the tender pork belly morsels and boiled eggs with a light vegetable, like bok choy. Get the recipe for Shanghai Red-Braised Pork with Eggs »
A low and slow braise is the best way to transform tough cuts of meat into fork-tender morsels. This version, made with a crosscut whole beef shank, is cooked in white wine and rich homemade beef bouillon layered with vegetables and aromatics for added complexity. Crunchy roasted radishes and a funky flaxseed, herb, and vinegar relish balance the pot roast's richness with acidity and texture. Get the recipe for The Ultimate Pot Roast »
Carved out of ten former districts of Andhra Pradesh, Telangan officially became India's 29th state in June 2014. For this eponymous dish from Telangana home cook Padma Reddy, the skin is removed from the chicken to allow the flavors of the marinade—coconut, lime, garlic, ginger, cardamom, mace and more—to penetrate. Get the recipe for Telangana-Style Curried Chicken Stew »
The recipe for this stew, a northern Italian braise of chicken and vegetables in a tomato sauce, is adapted from Marcella Hazan's book Essentials of Italian Cooking (Knopf, 1992). Get the recipe for Hunter's Wife Chicken »
This wine-enhanced chicken braise dotted with pearl onions and button mushrooms is as simple to prepare as it is elegant to serve. Get the recipe for Coq au Vin »
Unlike French beef stews made with wine, carbonnade—a Flemish stew—relies on the deep, dark flavor of Belgian abbey-style beer. But what really gives the dish its distinctive character is the addition of brown sugar and cider vinegar, a sweet-sour combination that plays beautifully against the caramelized onions and rich beer. Get the recipe for Flemish Beef and Beer Stew »
Instead of searing the meat before cooking it in liquid, as is done with a Western-style braise, beef rendang reverses the process. Slowly simmering beef chuck with Indonesian spice paste, coconut milk, and lemongrass yields an amazingly tender, rich dish that's great with both white rice or crusty bread. Get the recipe for Beef Rendang »
