Braising is just cooking a tough bit of meat, partially submerged in a moist, flavorful liquid, for a long time, at a relatively low temperature. You wouldn’t want to try it on a tender New York strip steak, or a chicken breast. They’d just end up falling apart into nothing. But a lamb shank, or a 7-blade chuck steak, or short ribs are all pretty tough, and do well in a braise. The low-and-slow cooking method basically makes the gelatins in the meat break down, which gives the food a good mouth-feel, and has lots of flavor.

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