{"id":301,"date":"2018-06-13T15:52:15","date_gmt":"2018-06-13T15:52:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dutchovenscookware.com\/?p=301"},"modified":"2021-08-19T23:16:28","modified_gmt":"2021-08-19T23:16:28","slug":"what-is-a-braiser","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dutchovenscookware.com\/what-is-a-braiser\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a braiser?…and what do they do?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is a Braiser? It is a traditional piece of cookware that has made a resurgence in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Normally constructed in cast iron, they have wide bottoms with sloped sides. They have very heavy bases which is part of the design. They are not as tall as Dutch ovens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have very tight-fitting lids which prevents steam and moisture from escaping the dish. This means that it has the effect of tenderizing very tough meats. It also, helps to retain flavor within your dishes which makes for a great experience. It also retains the moisture within the pan which means your food retains its moisture too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are designed to move between stove top and oven. The reason why a braiser is so popular is that that they allow you to sear and brown meats at high temperatures on your stove. The same dish can then be placed in the oven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This has the advantage of limiting the clean up and also helps with convenience. They are  known as one pot dishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Braisers normally have the same construction as Dutch ovens except the sides are much shallower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are also enameled for two reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Firstly, they stop the iron leaching into the food. This can introduce a metallic taste into the food. Secondly, it can be dangerous to some people to have additional iron introduced into their diet. The enamel forms a protective barrier to the cast iron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cheapest Branded Braisers Here<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Why is a Braiser designed like this?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I answered what is a Braiser above…a braiser is wide and shallow with a tight-fitting lid but let’s look further into it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wide base is by design and serves an important purpose. They are designed to fit meat into them so they can be seared and browned. This allows for a large area of the pan to be used for this purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are shallower because of the types of food generally cooked in them. They tend to be used for meat dishes. There is actually a form of cooking called braising. There is less need for liquid added to the dish as the food is cooked with its own juices. If it is added, it is a minor amount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The food is therefore steamed in that the food cooks with moist steam heat. This is different to stewing which involves simmering food in liquids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does a braiser differ from a Dutch oven?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A Dutch oven in some ways is very similar to a braiser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are both constructed from enameled cast iron. They are both made in the same factories using the same cast iron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They both have handles to the side and tight-fitting lids. Both can move from the stove to the oven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They differ in a couple of ways. They tend to be wider although this can be dependent on the size you choose. They are also shallower as they are purposed to do different things. The sides of a braiser are also sloped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Braising is a specific type of cooking. Generally, people choose a Dutch oven if they want a general functional piece of cookware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n