No-fail browning, braising

In the heart of winter, nothing satisfies more than a mouthwatering stew, chili or ragout with rich, succulent meat. Follow these steps for no-fail browning and braising:

“Choose a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or skillet for best browning. Make sure it has a tight-fitting lid to keep in steam when simmering.

“Pat meat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

“Season meat just before cooking to help prevent it from releasing its natural juices.

“Add meat in small batches (a pound or less at a time) to hot oil over high heat. Do not overcrowd the pan. It will cause meat to steam instead of allowing it to brown.

“Be patient: Allow meat to turn deep brown on all sides, caramelizing the proteins and sugars. (You may need to reduce heat if bottom of pan becomes too dark.)

“Add liquid to meat in pan and heat to boiling, scraping bottom of pan with spoon to release browned bits.

“Cover and braise mixture over low heat on top of range or place in oven at moderate temperature (325 F to 350 F) to cook. Do not allow mixture to boil — it will toughen and dry out the meat.

“Check for doneness: When meat is tender, a fork will slip easily in and out of it.