Do browning for braise in advance?

"Mike C" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Is there any harm in doing the browning for say a beef or chicken
braise in advance? Since it can splatter and needs to be done in
batches, it is not really convenient doing it while guests are there.
I would just do the browning and put the meat in the fridge until it
is time to start the braise.

But braising takes a while.

Mike C said:

Is there any harm in doing the browning for say a beef or chicken
braise in advance? Since it can splatter and needs to be done in
batches, it is not really convenient doing it while guests are there.
I would just do the browning and put the meat in the fridge until it
is time to start the braise.

I suppose no harm would be done but why not do the entire dish in
advance? Refrigerate it overnight, and then all you have to do is
simmer it to heat when the guests arrive. Not only would you gain
more control of timing your event, but many braises and stews improve
in flavor with the overnight cooling. Or, if you are doing the kind
of dish where potatoes or other veggies are added in the last hour or
less of cooking, pre-cook it that point. Then finish it the next
day. -aem

Mike C said:

Is there any harm in doing the browning for say a beef or chicken
braise in advance? Since it can splatter and needs to be done in
batches, it is not really convenient doing it while guests are there.
I would just do the browning and put the meat in the fridge until it
is time to start the braise.

Browning only partially cooks the meat, so putting it in the fridge before
braising puts it through a temperature range that subjects it to bacteria
growth. Most braised dishes cane be done ahead of time and reheated, much
safer to put the meat through those temperature zones after it has been
fully cooked. My suggestion would be to do it as late as possible before
guests arrive and keep it hot.

"aem" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mike C said:

Is there any harm in doing the browning for say a beef or chicken
braise in advance? Since it can splatter and needs to be done in
batches, it is not really convenient doing it while guests are there.
I would just do the browning and put the meat in the fridge until it
is time to start the braise.

I suppose no harm would be done but why not do the entire dish in
advance?

Yep.

aem said:

Mike C said:

Is there any harm in doing the browning for say a beef or chicken
braise in advance? Since it can splatter and needs to be done in
batches, it is not really convenient doing it while guests are there.
I would just do the browning and put the meat in the fridge until it
is time to start the braise.

I suppose no harm would be done but why not do the entire dish in
advance? Refrigerate it overnight, and then all you have to do is
simmer it to heat when the guests arrive. Not only would you gain
more control of timing your event, but many braises and stews improve
in flavor with the overnight cooling. Or, if you are doing the kind
of dish where potatoes or other veggies are added in the last hour or
less of cooking, pre-cook it that point. Then finish it the next
day. -aem

I have done that. I find it works well for beef or chicken dark meat.
I find that for chicken breasts, it can get dry after reheating. I
prefer the dark meat, but many of my guests don't like dark meat.....

Mike C said:

Is there any harm in doing the browning for say a beef or chicken
braise in advance? Since it can splatter and needs to be done in
batches, it is not really convenient doing it while guests are there.
I would just do the browning and put the meat in the fridge until it
is time to start the braise.

I usually brown meat before I braise it. I don't suppose it makes any real
difference, except for an esoteric one. Just looks more palatable 🙂

Jill

jmcquown said:

Mike C said:

Is there any harm in doing the browning for say a beef or chicken
braise in advance? Since it can splatter and needs to be done in
batches, it is not really convenient doing it while guests are there.
I would just do the browning and put the meat in the fridge until it
is time to start the braise.

I usually brown meat before I braise it. I don't suppose it makes any real
difference, except for an esoteric one. Just looks more palatable 🙂

Not surprising that Jill missed the whole point of the OP.

-sw

"Mike C" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

aem said:

Mike C said:

Is there any harm in doing the browning for say a beef or chicken
braise in advance? Since it can splatter and needs to be done in
batches, it is not really convenient doing it while guests are there.
I would just do the browning and put the meat in the fridge until it
is time to start the braise.

I suppose no harm would be done but why not do the entire dish in
advance? Refrigerate it overnight, and then all you have to do is
simmer it to heat when the guests arrive. Not only would you gain
more control of timing your event, but many braises and stews improve
in flavor with the overnight cooling. Or, if you are doing the kind
of dish where potatoes or other veggies are added in the last hour or
less of cooking, pre-cook it that point. Then finish it the next
day. -aem

I have done that. I find it works well for beef or chicken dark meat.
I find that for chicken breasts, it can get dry after reheating. I
prefer the dark meat, but many of my guests don't like dark meat.....

I'm wondering what you mean by "braising." It's not a term usually applied
to cooking chicken.

Janet said:

"Mike C" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

aem said:

On Dec 8, 11:57 am, Mike C <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> Is there any harm in doing the browning for say a beef or chicken
> braise in advance? Since it can splatter and needs to be done in
> batches, it is not really convenient doing it while guests are there.
> I would just do the browning and put the meat in the fridge until it
> is time to start the braise.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I suppose no harm would be done but why not do the entire dish in
advance? Refrigerate it overnight, and then all you have to do is
simmer it to heat when the guests arrive. Not only would you gain
more control of timing your event, but many braises and stews improve
in flavor with the overnight cooling. Or, if you are doing the kind
of dish where potatoes or other veggies are added in the last hour or
less of cooking, pre-cook it that point. Then finish it the next
day. -aem

Quoted message said:

I have done that. I find it works well for beef or chicken dark meat.
I find that for chicken breasts, it can get dry after reheating. I
prefer the dark meat, but many of my guests don't like dark meat.....

I'm wondering what you mean by "braising." It's not a term usually applied
to cooking chicken.

Well, really any vegetable or meat can be braised. With chicken I
brown it and then cook it almost covered in a liquid. It is good for
chicken in that it keeps it moist. Coq Au Vin is really a braising
technique with red wine.

Mike C said:

aem said:

On Dec 8, 11:57 am, Mike C <[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I suppose no harm would be done but why not do the entire dish in
advance? Refrigerate it overnight, and then all you have to do is
simmer it to heat when the guests arrive.

Quoted message said:

I have done that. I find it works well for beef or chicken dark meat.
I find that for chicken breasts, it can get dry after reheating. I
prefer the dark meat, but many of my guests don't like dark meat.....

Maybe it's the dryness your guests prefer over dark meat. Chicken
breast is not a good braiser. It's inherently dry. It's also most
susceptible to that danger zone of partially cooked meat.

In article <[email hidden]>,

jmcquown said:

Mike C said:

Is there any harm in doing the browning for say a beef or chicken
braise in advance? Since it can splatter and needs to be done in
batches, it is not really convenient doing it while guests are there.
I would just do the browning and put the meat in the fridge until it
is time to start the braise.

I usually brown meat before I braise it. I don't suppose it makes any real
difference, except for an esoteric one. Just looks more palatable 🙂

Jill

Read it again, Jill.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Notes about our meals in Tuscany have been posted to
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com; 10-16-2007

Mike C said:

Is there any harm in doing the browning for say a beef or chicken
braise in advance? Since it can splatter and needs to be done in
batches, it is not really convenient doing it while guests are there.
I would just do the browning and put the meat in the fridge until it
is time to start the braise.

I have heard that some restautants will half-cook meat like this
in order to be able to serve a preparation rapidly.

With chicken, where bacteria is a concern, I would worry that this
procedure would bring the interior of the chicken pieces to near-room
temperature for too long of a time (i.e. it would partly warm up
when you brown it, then partly cool down, then warm up again when
you cook it.)

Steve

On Sun, 9 Dec 2007 18:31:58 +0000 (UTC), [email hidden] (Steve

Pope) said:

With chicken, where bacteria is a concern, I would worry that this
procedure would bring the interior of the chicken pieces to near-room
temperature for too long of a time (i.e. it would partly warm up
when you brown it, then partly cool down, then warm up again when
you cook it.)

Why bother precooking chicken? It cooks quickly anyway.

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smiley face first

"Melba's Jammin'" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

jmcquown said:

Mike C said:

Is there any harm in doing the browning for say a beef or chicken
braise in advance? Since it can splatter and needs to be done in
batches, it is not really convenient doing it while guests are there.
I would just do the browning and put the meat in the fridge until it
is time to start the braise.

I usually brown meat before I braise it. I don't suppose it makes any
real
difference, except for an esoteric one. Just looks more palatable 🙂

Jill

Read it again, Jill.
--

lol

Melba's Jammin said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

jmcquown said:

Mike C said:

Is there any harm in doing the browning for say a beef or chicken
braise in advance? Since it can splatter and needs to be done in
batches, it is not really convenient doing it while guests are
there. I would just do the browning and put the meat in the fridge
until it is time to start the braise.

I usually brown meat before I braise it. I don't suppose it makes
any real difference, except for an esoteric one. Just looks more
palatable 🙂

Jill

Read it again, Jill.

Read what again? He wants to know if he should brown meat/chicken/whatever
before he (first) refrigerates it, then braises it. What did I miss?

Jill

Mike C said:

Is there any harm in doing the browning for say a beef or chicken
braise in advance? �Since it can splatter and needs to be done in
batches, it is not really convenient doing it while guests are there.

Um, use an appropriately sized brazier. Why do any cooking while
guests are there... it usually ain't convenient bathing your butt
while guests are there either.

Quoted message said:

I would just do the browning and put the meat in the fridge until it
is time to start the braise.

Why not just finish the dish completely, ALL brased dishes taste
better reheated the next day.

jmcquown said:

Melba's Jammin said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

jmcquown said:

Mike C wrote:
> Is there any harm in doing the browning for say a beef or chicken
> braise in advance? Since it can splatter and needs to be done in
> batches, it is not really convenient doing it while guests are
> there. I would just do the browning and put the meat in the fridge
> until it is time to start the braise.

I usually brown meat before I braise it. I don't suppose it makes
any real difference, except for an esoteric one. Just looks more
palatable 🙂

Jill

Read it again, Jill.

Read what again? He wants to know if he should brown meat/chicken/whatever
before he (first) refrigerates it, then braises it. What did I miss?

Yes, folks - she really is this dense.

-sw

:) said:

On Sun, 9 Dec 2007 18:31:58 +0000 (UTC), [email hidden] (Steve
Pope) wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

With chicken, where bacteria is a concern, I would worry that this
procedure would bring the interior of the chicken pieces to near-room
temperature for too long of a time (i.e. it would partly warm up
when you brown it, then partly cool down, then warm up again when
you cook it.)

Quoted message said:

Why bother precooking chicken? It cooks quickly anyway.

I'm not the OP but I think the issue was the time it takes
to brown the chicken then assemble it other ingredients for
braising. The OP would like to avoid having to do all that
when their guests are there.

It doesn't sound like more than a few minutes; myself I just cook
at my normal pace whether or not dinner guests are around.

Steve

jmcquown said:

Read what again? He wants to know if he should brown meat/chicken/whatever
before he (first) refrigerates it, then braises it. What did I miss?

I think the issue was more about whether or not to refrrigetate it after
browning it due to concerns about spatter and cooking time while dealing
with guests.

My two cents worth is that there are concerns about bacteria if
refrigerating partially cooked chicken, so IMO it is better to brown and
braise in one step, which would include keeping early batches warm while
doing other batches and other steps, and to avoid putting the partially
cooked through the temperature range where bacteria flourishes twice.
Better to get it hot and keep it hot. Preparing a braised dish ahead of
time and keeping it warm is probably the best bet. That being said,
braised beef, pork and lamb benefit from long periods of braising time
while chicken does not fair as well in hot liquid for long periods.