Slow food from the stove or the oven: Braising pans from RÖSLE .
Slow food from the stove or the oven: RÖSLE braising pans
Braising pans are the ideal cooking utensil in the fall and winter to provide body and soul with nourishing and warming dishes. In summer, lower-calorie ingredients are usually added to the braising pan; all year round, pasta or vegan braised dishes are of course also allowed.
A braising pan used to be part of every household, but today it is sometimes replaced by a steamer, which can be used for a kind of refined braising technique: for slow and aromatic cooking in steam. We explain which pans can be used as braising pans and why an aroma steamer is also a good addition or alternative.
Braising pans - because they simply offer more enjoyment
Roasts, roulades or even a goulash can be prepared in a particularly aromatic way in a braising pan. The first step is to sear the food so that it is well roasted on all sides. It is then deglazed with a little liquid and braised at a medium temperature until the meat is nice and tender. During the braising process, the taste of the roasted aromas is transferred to the liquid, which then forms the basis of the sauce. However, braising also gives the meat or vegan ingredients their unique flavor.
Three things are particularly important for a successful braised dish: firstly, the food is braised in a pot or pan that is suitable for searing. Secondly, the food must not be completely submerged in the liquid used to deglaze it, which is why braising pans are used rather than tall pots. This is because “braising” does not mean “boiling”, but rather cooking in steam.
Thirdly, the rim of a braising pan must be higher than is the case with classic frying pans. This is why a grill pan is not suitable for braising, whereas a serving pan can be used for braising.
A refined braising technique is to gently cook the food and all other ingredients in a steamer. If the steamer pot can also be used separately as a pan, you can sear the ingredients in advance, then deglaze them and continue stewing using the steamer function. An all-round pouring rim on the pan of the steamer, as with our RÖSLE steam cookers, ensures that the gravy can be poured into a sauce pan without dripping.
The even and pressureless cooking gives meat or soy strips an incredible boost of flavor. And the anticipation also has plenty of time to develop, as a delicious stew can be left in the stewing pan for several hours. If you use an aroma steamer, you also have the option of significantly reducing the amount of fat or salt added.
More flavor, less fat: features of high-quality braising pans
Our parents' and grandparents' households would have been unimaginable without a casserole or stew pan. Braising pans were cherished and taken out of the cupboard with a certain solemnity as soon as the ingredients were ready for further processing.
But it's not just the ingredients and favorite recipes that have changed, the way they are prepared has changed too. In addition to a braising pan, a steamer is therefore increasingly being used when meat, fish, vegetables or pasta and dumplings need to be prepared gently.
All pans that have a high rim and can be closed with a lid are suitable for stewing. Ideally, this should be a glass lid so that you can see when some liquid needs to be added.
Like the serving pan, the braising pan should also have two sturdy handles instead of a pan handle so that the pan can be lifted safely even when well filled. If the pan body, lid and handles are sufficiently temperature-resistant, you can also braise in the oven.
Even heat distribution is particularly important when braising, which is why the braising pan should be made of materials such as stainless steel or aluminum. However, stainless steel is only a good choice if an aluminum core is integrated into the base of the braising pan. Braising pans made of high-quality stainless steel and aluminum also have the advantage that they can be easily cleaned in the dishwasher.
The braising pan is often used to prepare typical Sunday dishes according to recipes that are part of the family tradition. However, it is also ideal for pre-cooking larger portions or for braising a vegan version of goulash, which with fresh vegetables, herbs and hot spices is itself a classic of modern cuisine.
To ensure that everything that goes into your favorite dishes fits into it, the braising pan must of course have a larger volume than the frying pan. A good filling quantity is achieved by choosing a braising pan with a diameter of 28 cm and a rim height of at least 7 cm.
Cook, braise, fry and serve: Braising pans from RÖSLE
In the RÖSLE online store, you will find various pans that are just as suitable for searing as they are for stewing or braising. These include our frying and serving pans from the SILENCE PRO (stainless steel) and CADINI (aluminum) series, both of which have a robust non-stick coating.
The serving pans are suitable for stewing because of their particularly high sides. With a diameter of 28 cm and a rim height of 9 cm, the SILENCE PRO serving pan has a maximum capacity of 4.5 liters, while the CADINI with a height of 8.3 cm still has a capacity of 3.5 liters. The handles of the SILENCE PRO range are coated with silicone, while the serving pan from the CADINI range is supplied with covers that can simply be pulled over the pan handles if required.
To be able to use the pans as frying pans, serving pans or braising pans, it is best to order the matching lids made of tempered glass and with a tight-fitting silicone rim at the same time. Just like the pans, the lids are highly temperature-resistant, so you can prepare stews on the hob or in the oven.
You can also find Aroma steam cookers from the SILENCE PRO series online. The steamer is ideal for gentle cooking and braising, as the lower section can also be used separately as a roasting or serving pan and is equipped with the durable ProResist non-stick coating.
The steamer not only makes meat beautifully tender and aromatic, it can also be used to prepare many other ingredients in a delicious way that preserves vitamins and nutrients, keep them warm or reheat them the next day. The cooking and braising process can also be precisely controlled and regulated with a thermometer that can be integrated into the glass lid.
