Slow Cooking – Techniques
Tough, sinewy cuts of meat require gentle slow cooking in an aromatic liquid to allow time for fibrous tissues to soften and flavours to develop. Whole joints and pieces of meat can be cooked using this technique. For maximum flavour and tenderness, cool the meat in the liquid and reheat the next day. Slow cooking can be carried out in a ‘crockpot’, a stovetop slow cooker or even a tagine – a Moroccan clay pot.
Pot Roasting
Less prime joints benefit from slow cooking in liquid. This tenderizes sinews and imparts a rich flavour to the meat. Suitable cuts are boned and rolled brisket, topside and silverside of beef shoulder and silverside of veal. A 1 kg boned and rolled joint takes about 2 1/2 hours to cook.
For a good flavour and colour at the end of slow cooking, first sear the joint over a high heat in a little oil, turning until evenly browned.
After browning, add stock or wine or a mixture of the two, chopped vegetables such as onions and leeks, plus a bouquet garni and seasonings. Simmer gently or cook at 170c until tender. Add root vegetables about 30 minutes before the end of cooking.
Making a Stew by the slow cooking method
Stewing or casseroling is a very moist method of slow cooking, perfect for less prime meat such as flank, shin and chuck. For best results, trim meat of excess fat and sinew and cut into equal-sized cubes, then brown in a flameproof casserole.
Add liquid just to cover and cook in the same casserole, either on top of the stove or in a 170°C oven. A stew made with 1 kg meat takes 2-2 1/2 hours to cook.
If the meat has been marinated, dry thoroughly on paper towels, then brown in batches over a high heat to seal in juices and add colour to the sauce.
Test for doneness by inserting the point of a small knife into one of the pieces of meat. The blade should slide easily through the fibres.
Braising Sinewy Cuts using slow cooking methods
When choosing beef or veal for braising, select tough cuts with a good amount of bone but not too much fat, such as shin of veal. Sinew and gristle break down during slow cooking to enrich the sauce. Only a small amount liquid is used, so keep the dish tightly covered. A simple recipe for osso buco, using the techniques shown here, is given below.
Brown the veal in hot oil. The coating of flour will form a crust around the meat and help thicken the sauce.
Turn the meat once or twice during braising so that it cooks evenly and takes on the flavour of the sauce.
Osso Buco
1 kg shin of veal, sawn into 5 cm pieces
1 tbsp plain flour
2-3 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, diced
2 onions, chopped
125 ml dry white wine
125 ml brown stock
400 g can tomatoes
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Gremolada
Toss the meat in the flour heat the oil in a flameproof casserole and brown the meat. Remove, then add carrots and onions and sweat for 10 minutes. Return the meat to the pan and add the wine, stock, tomatoes, dried herbs and seasonings to taste. Cover and cook at 170°C for 2 hours or until tender: turning occasionally. Check the seasoning. Serve hot, sprinkled with gremolada. Serves 4.
Slow Cooking in a Clay Pot (Tagine)
In the Middle East meat is often slow cooked in a clay pot. The steam condenses inside the tight-fitting lid of the pot drips back into the stew and makes the meat wonderfully moist.
The conical lid of the pot shown here, a Moroccan tagine, is especially effective for this cooking method.
First brown cubes of beef in hot oil in a frying pan, then place in the bottom of the pot with dried fruit such as prunes or apricots, thinly pared lemon or orange zest, hot beef stock and seasonings.
Cover the pot tightly with its lid, sealing it with a flour and water paste if you like. Cook in a 170°C oven for 2 hours. Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped fresh herbs.
Cooking Salt Beef
Before refrigeration, meat was preserved by drying or salting in brine flavoured with herbs, spices and sugar. Today, this is not necessary, but salt beef is still popular for its unique flavour and attractive pink colour It is available at specialist butchers and some supermarkets.
Before Slow cooking, soak salt beef in cold water overnight to remove excess saltiness. Drain and rinse in cold water, then place in a pan with roughly chopped vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips and potatoes, and freshly ground pepper. Cover with water and bring to the boil, then cover with water simmer gently for 2 hours or until tender.
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