braise

American  

[breyz] / breɪz /

verb (used with object)

braised, braising

1. to cook (meat, fish, or vegetables) by sautéeing in fat and then simmering slowly in very little liquid.

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braise British  

/ breɪz /

verb

1. to cook (meat, vegetables, etc) by lightly browning in fat and then cooking slowly in a closed pan with a small amount of liquid

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Etymology

Origin of braise

1760–70; < French braiser, derivative of braise live coals < Germanic; akin to Swedish brasa pyre, fire, whence brasa to roast, cognate with Danish brase

Explanation

Braise meat or vegetables by cooking them very slowly in fat and a small amount of liquid. If you braise those potatoes and carrots, they'll be delicious! The word for this cooking method comes from the French braiser, "to cook over live coals," and braise, "live coals." When you braise food today, you're not literally cooking over coals, but you are aiming for a combination of dry and wet cooking. A true braise involves searing or lightly frying, and then adding liquid and cooking in a covered pot on a low heat. Meat and root vegetables become particularly tender when you braise them.

Example Sentences

Quail is wonderfully versatile — pan-fry it, grill it, roast it, even braise it if you’re feeling cozy.

From Salon • Dec. 4, 2025

The pot is deglazed with water, less than you would use in a soup, but more than for a braise.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 3, 2024

You can braise meat in there, but oftentimes the broth tastes better than the meat, and the meat comes out dry.

From Salon • Oct. 31, 2023

In this recipe from our book “Milk Street Tuesday Nights,” which limits recipes to 45 minutes or less, we use a quick homemade coconut milk to braise savory chicken thighs.

From Washington Times • Jul. 26, 2023

They braise it four or five hours, and it makes the toughest meat tender.

From A Course of Lectures on the Principles of Domestic Economy and Cookery by Corson, Juliet