Braising Recipes

Slow-Braised Osso Buco

Osso buco translates as "hole in the bone," referring to the delectable marrow in the center of the veal shank bone. This Lombardian specialty is ideal for entertaining because the flavor of the dish only improves if it's made in advance.

• Dinner Party Recipes

Braised Chicken all'Arrabbiata

All’Arrabbiata means “in an angry style” in Italian. Chef Robert Holt braises his chicken with five kinds of peppers in a wood-fired oven. At home, spice the chicken with poblano and chile flakes, then braise it. For extra kick, toss in some hot pickled cherry peppers.

Pasta with Braised Pork, Red Wine and Pancetta

In the winter, Andrew Zimmern makes a lot of this pasta and freezes it in quart-size Ziploc bags for quick meals. It’s inspired by some of the best sauces he’s eaten all over Italy and New York City. He likes this sauce with tubetti or short mezzi rigatoni pasta.

Braised Lamb with Potatoes

Braised Chicken with Cilantro, Mint and Chiles

One of Grace Parisi’s favorite tricks for cooking chicken drumsticks: Slice the meat to the bone before braising to help them cook more quickly. Skinless, boneless thighs also work well in this vibrant, herb-packed stew.

Spice-Braised Chicken Legs with Red Wine and Tomato

Alexandra Guarnaschelli’s mother, Maria, the legendary cookbook editor at W.W. Norton, made a version of this lightly spicy dish when Guarnaschelli was a kid. Alex has adapted the recipe by adding red wine.

Braised Pork Belly with Pickled Radishes

Richard Blais crashed in the final moments of Top Chef Season 4 when his pressure-cooked pork belly did not turn out to be as delicious, or nearly as tender, as he had hoped: He didn't leave the meat in long enough. Gail Simmons chooses to stick with a more classic cooking method, marinating the pork overnight and braising it in a savory soy-and-mirin broth.

Braised Lamb with Herb-Scented Jus

This tender braised leg of lamb might be served at a private dinner party. Chef David Mawhinny then sandwiches any extra meat and meat juices with pickled vegetables and focaccia for lunch.

Osso Buco with Horseradish Gremolata

When he hosts dinners, Mario Batali often makes braised dishes. “I can leave the kitchen and talk to my guests,” says the chef. “And the most remarkable fragrance fills my house.” This recipe calls for four large shanks, but there’s plenty of meat to serve six.

Beer-Braised Turkey Tacos

Skinless turkey thighs and drumsticks are packed with flavor; they’re also low in fat and high in protein and essential minerals like selenium. Deborah Schneider braises the meat in beer until ultratender, then shreds it for tacos. “It’s also fabulous in a sandwich,” she says.

Braised Dandelion Greens

Fruity, smoky dried chiles make this easy, healthy vegetable dish taste warming and complex.

Spice-Braised Gingered Eggplant with Mint Yogurt

• Nico Monday and Amelia O’Reilly say they summoned their “inner Moroccan” to spice this vegetarian dish with cumin, coriander and mustard seeds. They serve the baked eggplant both as a first course and as a main with couscous, chickpeas and charmoula (a punchy, cilantro-based Moroccan sauce).

Braised Rabbit with Mustard and Fennel

“Rabbit might be the perfect meat,” says chef Jenn Louis. “The animals are very easy to raise and the meat is lean but flavorful.” Louis, who has lost and kept off 34 pounds, cooks a lot of rabbit at her restaurant and eats it often at home.

Braised Carrots with Lamb

Dan Barber’s brilliant recipe makes braised carrots the star and lamb the accompaniment.

Apple Cider-Braised Turkey Drumsticks

Braising drumsticks is as simple as roasting a whole bird and the gravy is equally delicious, but there’s no worry of over-cooking, plus you can prepare the dish ahead and serve it whenever you are ready.

Braised Pork Shoulder with Fennel and Olives

Make-ahead Tip: The recipe can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat gently and garnish with the fennel before serving.

Carrot Osso Buco

In Richard Blais’s playful vegan take on osso buco (braised veal shanks), he braises very large pieces of carrots in red wine and mushroom broth until tender. Ground dried porcini mushrooms give the dish rich, meaty flavor.

Chilled Chardonnay-Braised Calamari Pasta

Cooling this skinny pasta, then tossing it with Chardonnay-braised squid in a light, tangy sauce, makes for a refreshing first course.

Beer-Braised Baby Back Ribs with Orange-Tamarind Sauce

“I started making my Abilene sauce 20 years ago, and every year I tweak it or add something,” says chef James Holmes of his signature barbecue sauce. Despite its spicy intensity, the pork and beer flavors come straight through.

Braised Kale

This easy kale recipe is a simple braise of olive oil, garlic and chicken stock.

Smoky Tomato-Braised Veal Shoulder with Potatoes

Humanely raised veal is becoming more widely available at top butcher shops. Butcher-chef Tia Harrison recommends choosing veal shoulder or rump roast, which are more economical than other cuts of veal but still delicious. Harrison likes to braise them; here, canned fire-roasted tomatoes give the dish a smoky flavor.

Zesty Braised Chicken with Lemon and Capers

Sauvignon Blanc adds zip to the lemon-and-caper-infused liquid.

Braised Wild Boar Shanks with Sweet Soy and Star Anise

Wild-boar shanks are a great alternative to farmed pork. Johnny Monis braises them until tender in a fragrant broth loaded with garlic, star anise, cloves and cinnamon.

Braised Root Vegetables and Cabbage with Fall Fruit

Alain Ducasse uses six pots to cook each type of vegetable on its own, then layers them in a baking dish. For the simplified version of Ducasse’s fruit-and-root-vegetable stew, everything cooks in one big pot.

Braised Pork with Cherry Gravy

Michel Nischan’s braised sweet-and-savory pork melts in your mouth. It’s perfect with the creamy leeks and fennel.

Braised Lamb Shanks with Garlic and Indian Spices

Rajat Parr braises his ultratender lamb shanks in a rich mix of red wine, tomatoes and cinnamon.

Braised Endive in Cream Sauce

Belgian endive has a pleasant crunch and bitterness when served raw, but we also like its gentler, sweeter side. A braise in chicken stock removes the bitter edge from the leaves and makes them supple and tender, while a generous splash of cream mellows and enriches this dish from Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer.