Marinade vs. Braising question?!
Marinade vs. Braising question?
Please describe the difference between the flavor imparted to the meat between the marinading in and / or braising in a (liquid, flavor, marinade)?
Additional Details1 week ago
OK, so not so technical. as pertains to flavor does marinading or braising impart the most flavor into the meat?
Answers:
1 week ago
OK, so not so technical. as pertains to flavor does marinading or braising impart the most flavor into the meat?
Hmmm... Interesting but difficult question to answer... I would have to say that flavor-wise the two cooking methods end up with very different results. Since, theoretically you could use the same ingredients for marinating and braising (e.g. soy sauce, vinegar, wine, lemon juice, spices, etc.) you could get similar results. However, since marinated meats are usually grilled or fried you would get flavors from caramelized sugar, smoke or oil. While in braising you would get the juices from the meat mixing with the liquid.
Hmmm... I must think this over some more... You are basically asking the difference in taste between meat that has been soaked in a liquid to meat that has been boiled (braised) in the same liquid... I'm tempted to run down to my kitchen and experiment. The two methods would produce different results.
My best guess: I'm pretty sure that marinating will produce sharper more distinct flavors of the ingredients of the marinade, while meat braised in the same mixture will taste mellower because some of the elements (like acids, alcohols, etc.) will have evaporated or changed chemically because of the heat.
Good luck. Great question.
Marination
Marination, also known as marinating, is the process of soaking foods in a seasoned, often acidic, liquid before cooking. The origins of the word allude to the use of brine (aqua marina) in the pickling process, which led to the technique of adding flavor by immersion in liquid. The liquid in question, the 'marinade', is often a vinegar (or other acidic liquid such as lemon juice or wine) and oil mixture. It can also contain herbs and spices. Sandra Lee of the Food Network says, "dressing bottles are great as marinades."
It is commonly used to flavor foods and to tenderize tougher cuts of meat or harder vegetables such as beetroot, eggplant (aubergine), and courgette (zucchini). The process may last seconds or days. Different marinades are used in different cuisines. In Indian cuisine the marinade is usually prepared with yogurt and spices.
In meats, the acid causes the tissue to break down, allowing more moisture to be absorbed and giving a juicier end product. However, too much acid can be detrimental to the end product. A good marinade will have a delicate balance of spices, acid and oil.
Often confused with marinating, "macerating" is also a form of food preparation. Often soft vegetables, legumes or fruits are used and are also coated in a liquid. This process, again, makes the food tastier and easier to chew and digest
Some studies have shown that a reaction between creatine in muscle meats and amino acids caused by flame-cooking at high temperatures produces a cancer-causing agent known as heterocyclic amine (HCA). New research seems to indicate that marinades may discourage formation of certain HCAs in char-grilled meat.
Immersion in an acid-based marinade for as little as forty minutes resulted in a decrease of 92-99% of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) in recent tests by the American Institute for Cancer Research. More studies are being conducted, but the acidic component in marinades seems to do the trick. Marinating is currently the best known method of discouraging the formation of HCAs.
Braising
Braising (from the French "braiser") is cooking with "moist heat," typically in a covered pot with a variable amount of liquid, resulting in a particular flavor.
Braising relies on heat, time, and moisture to successfully break down tough connective tissue and collagens in meat. It is an ideal way to cook tougher cuts. Many classic braised dishes such as Coq au Vin are highly-evolved methods of cooking tough and unpalatable foods. Swissing, stewing and pot-roasting are all braising types.
Most braises follow the same basic steps. The meat or poultry is first seared in order to achieve a good crisp texture, and seal in the juices. Aromatic vegetables are sometimes then browned as well. A cooking liquid that often includes an acidic element, such as tomatoes or wine, is added to the pot, which is covered. The dish cooks in relatively low heat in or atop the stove until the meat is fork-tender. Often the cooking liquid is finished to create a sauce or gravy.
A successful braise intermingles the flavors of the foods being cooked and the cooking liquid. Also, the dissolved collagens and gelatins from the meat enrich and add body to the liquid. Braising is economical, as it allows the use of tough and inexpensive cuts, and efficient, as it often employs a single pot to cook an entire meal.
Familiar braised dishes include pot roast, beef stew, Swiss steak, chicken cacciatore, goulash, braised tilapia and beef bourguignon, among others. Braising is also used extensively in the cuisines of Asia, particularly Chinese cuisine.
thats a hard one -- usually you cook meat that is marinated in a method other than braising so the difference would be the taste of grilling as opposed to the taste of braising. i will marinate pork chops in a citrus marinate but braise them with red wine. you wouldn't want to braise in a citrus marinade because the citrus would get cooked down and nasty.
I guess the best answer is that it is apples and oranges. If you marinate meat and then cook under high heat you get some flavor penetration during the marinating and an overlay of smoky, grilled flavor. This would be best for tender, well marbled cuts like porterhouse, ribeye and the rest, as well as for young, frying chickens. The flavors here are rustic and lively.
Braising is slow cooking in a flavorful liquid that comes maybe half way up the food. This is often done in stock or wine with herbs, garlic, onion and other types of flavorful veggies. This style of cooking is best for tough cuts with lots of connective tissue. By this slower cooking method you impart a richer flavor and the collagen (connective tissue) melts out and the braising liquid becomes more unctuous, with greater body. I feel that this type of cooking is more complex and satisfying. You can cook older chickens this way too.
Marinating adds flavor into the meat.
Braising is a moist heat cooking method, and does frequently alter the flavor of the meat, depending on what liquid you braise the meat in. For example, wine adds a strong flavor to braised meat, especially if done at a slow temperature for a long period of time.
However, you can marinate, then braise meat. Then you get a multiplied effect.
The bottom line is that marination adds the most flavor.