Braising the ante: Save money on cheap cuts, and still get tasty meals

LOOKING TO save money on your weekly food bill? Do yourself and your family a delicious favor and bone up on the art of braising.

Braising, a cooking technique that involves searing a main ingredient and then simmering it slowly in liquid on low heat, is a magical formula that renders the cheapest and toughest cuts of meat into a tender feast. And while its transformative power is best displayed on the orneriest cuts, braising also works its magic on an ordinary chicken, creating a heavenly broth in the process.

Chef Patrice Rames, owner of Bistro St. Tropez and Patou restaurants, remembers the comforting braised dishes of his childhood in southern France - aromatic stews of rabbit, stuffed calamari and tough old roosters. "I think these dishes are coming back in fashion," said Rames, who is featuring braised lamb shank with root vegetables as an offering for Restaurant Week, which continues through tomorrow. "The smell that fills the house when this lamb cooks is unbelievable, very homey."

One of the best things about braising is that it's virtually foolproof, said Rames. "You really can't screw it up. It's a very flexible way to cook."

Add flavor with any herbs you have on hand, from sage to rosemary to thyme. The cooking liquid can be chicken or beef broth, wine, water or vegetable stock. Sear the meat in oil to caramelize the outside and seal in its juices, add liquid to just about cover, deglazing the pan and scraping up the tasty bits from the bottom.

Put it all into a 275- or 300-degree oven, usually covered, and forget about it for hours. Add vegetables toward the end of the cooking time. Strain the broth and you're ready to eat.

"What you'll get," said Rames, "is meat that falls off the bone, and a liquid broth that you can use in soups or sauces, or a cooking liquid for a side dish like lentils. The intense flavor is wonderful."

A few of his favorite traditional French braised dishes include boeuf bourguignon made with top round and red wine; and coq au vin, chicken legs braised in red wine with carrots, celery and onions. Both dishes are marinated in red wine overnight before cooking.

In his job as executive chef at Wegman's, in Cherry Hill, Trent O'Drain is constantly chatting with customers about cooking techniques and recipes. And braising is one of his favorite wintertime topics.

There's even a video on wegmans.com that demonstrates how to braise from start to finish. O'Drain's braised minestrone soup is one of the Web site's most popular recipes.

"It's a technique that works really well in a crock pot," said O'Drain. "Immersing the meat in a liquid that has some acid in it breaks down the tough fibers and you end up with a terrific depth of flavor."

A few braise-worthy cuts, some available at Wegman's in discounted five-pound packs, include beef chuck ($2.48 a pound), pork shoulder ($.99 a pound), chicken thighs ($.99 per pound), lamb shank ($5.49 per pound) and boneless short ribs ($5.99 per pound).

Another plus, said Rames, is that braising can be done in a large quantity, delivering plenty of leftovers for freezing or repurposing during the week.

John Brandt-Lee, chef/owner of Avalon restaurant, in West Chester, introduced braising to Ava and Ciara, his 5- and 8-year-old daughters, to prove to them that there was more to a chicken than its fingers. His braised chicken thighs deliver a rich gravy the girls happily pour over mashed potatoes.

"They love it," he said. "Just about anything on the chicken is tastier than the breast."

And cheaper, too.

If you have the time, Brandt-Lee recommends turning the flavor up another notch with an overnight marinade. "Coat the chicken with olive oil and your choice of aromatics like pepper, thyme, garlic, red pepper flakes or rosemary. Cover with plastic wrap and let it marinate overnight in the refrigerator for even more flavor."

Another of his favorite picks for slow cooking is a pork shoulder or Boston butt. "It's an amazing piece of meat to braise. At the restaurant, we cook it seven hours in the crock-pot until it's unbelievably tender. Then we bring it back with a sauce that might have apples and caramelized onions in it, or a barbecue sauce."

Braised short ribs make up the filling for one of Avalon's most popular dishes, pasta mezza luna, homemade pasta stuffed with the silky meat. "Our regulars love that dish. It never comes off the menu."

At Firecreek, the vintage paper mill turned stylish eatery in Downingtown, chef/owner Carlo DeMarco is just crazy about pork shoulder. "It's readily available, nicely marbled and so versatile," said DeMarco, who also owns 333 Belrose, in Radnor. "Use the meat for chili, ground pork, pulled barbecue pork, Italian-style pork sandwiches. Unlike a fresh ham, which can be dry, this cut is foolproof."

His braising liquid of choice can range from beer, to pork stock, apple cider and white wine - "it's all good." Pulled-pork sliders are a huge hit on the Firecreek menu.

Beers or ales add hoppy flavor to a braising brew for pork sausages or kielbasa, said Walter Staib, chef/proprietor of City Tavern. "It's something I grew up with," said the German chef, whose weekly cooking show, "A Taste of History," airs on Channel 12.

Add chicken broth, sauerkraut, potatoes and other veggies, and humble kielbasa becomes the centerpiece of a comfort meal that can feed a crowd.

Easy on the wallet and geared to the busy home cook, the only thing that isn't slow about these comforting braised dishes is how fast your family will make them disappear.