[mike8913]

there's alot of bad information being posted about both braising and sous vide right now. I think we should hammer out proper braising methods and then start a new thread dedicated to sous vide.

Braising:

combination method of dry and moist heat. Meat is typically seared ahead of braising. Protein, typically beef, chicken, or pork; is partially submerged up to 9/10 of its mass. As opposed to roasting, which benefits from "low and slow" ideology, braising does not require temperatures lower than 350 ( lower will simply take longer and that is all). When protein is taken above 120F muscle fibers start their denaturing process by tightening cell walls and collagen begins to break down at around 131F (depending on the protein)

Liquid, because it is heavier than air, naturally puts pressure on anything submerged in it. The now evacuated tissues of protein, caused by heating, are forcibly basted by the natural pressures of a liquid environment; therefore reconstituting the strained muscle fibers. Collagen continues to break down at simmering temperatures and beyond, but the effects of liquid submersion are retarded when the liquid changes phase causing the once moist environment surrounding the tissue into high temperature gas environments where high temperatures cause meat to constrict itself dry, similar to squeezing a wet sponge.

It's important to note that braised items are not cooked to temperature, but instead cooked to a desired tenderness. While some cooks will claim a braised item is easy to catch when done, the texture of an overcooked braise is decidedly stringy, reminiscent of microwave ramen noodles. A proper texture of a braise should be reached when fork or finger tender but still maintain, albeit small, shear force in the mouth.