How do you braise in the oven? Please help.

Barbiegirl_2

Hi all,

I am a useless cook most of the time. I found a recipe on Netmums for pork chops and apple casserole. The only problem is I have my ingredients in a dish ready to go in the oven but have no idea how one is supposed to braise it? I have poured cider over it and now have so much left I don't know what to do with it (we don't drink).

I know this site has some good cooks so if you could explain how I am supposed to braise and on what temperature that would be great. I have layered the onions and chopped apples with pork chops, sage, cider, covered the ingredients with cider and covered with tin foil.

Cheers.

ifonlyitwaseasier

well if you've done that i'd chuck it in the oven and cook for a bit,

sounds nice, might try that myself.

Seakay

This is a very good definition of braising:
http://www.cookthink.com/reference/27/What_does_it_mean_to_braise
but I think that you should just carry on following the recipe that you have - it is probably the case that if you put the dish in the oven then you will complete the braising process that is called for but the recipe maybe didn't explain what was going on.
The ingredients for the recipe you are following sound delicious, just keep on following the instructions and you'll be fine.
If you don't drink alchohol then keep your cider in the fridge (transfer to a jar or washed out plastic milk bottle if you were using a can) and keep it to use in future recipes. It won't matter if it goes a bit flat and will add flavour to a stew or casserole if you use some in place of part or all of the stock or water that the recipe requires.

Barbiegirl_2

Thanks for your replies. The problem I have with the recipe is that it just says to put everyting in the one dish and braise. It doesn't give a definition unfortunately. I think I'm probably going to have to drain the sauce through a colander and mix with something to make a gravy for the pork chops. Do you have any tips for yummy gravy. The onion and sliced apple are very chunky and probably can't be used in the gravy.

Will have at the link you posted. Thanks again.

freyasmum

I know I'm late, but braising is a very slow method of cooking, usually used for the tougher cuts of meat.

I'd usually brown my meat, pour over enough liquid to cover, then cover the dish with foil and cook at a low heat for a good few hours, checking every so often.