Page 117 - YC Cooking School

Don’t bin the skin and bones

Wherever possible, keep the skin and bones attached to your meat. Besides
stopping the meat from shrinking, the fat and gelatine from these two elements
are vital contributors to the overall body and flavour of your dish. If this idea
makes you a bit squeamish, at least add the skin and bones to the pot initially
and then remove them just before serving.
Enjoy a one-pot wonder
The beauty of slow-cooked dishes – coq au vin in particular – is that you get to
cook everything in one pot. This not only simplifies the cooking and cleaning
process, but also ensures that all the delicious flavours of the meat and garnish
are incorporated into the end product.

Err on the side of juicy
Lean meat doesn’t make for good slow cooking, so you may need to add extra
fat - usually bacon - to the pot to give it lovely juiciness and flavour.
Deglaze to retain delicious flavours
Deglazing is the term used for removing the delicious crusty bits that remain in
the pan after the meat has been cooked. It’s a really important part of the
cooking process, as it ensures that all the flavours are locked in. Do this by
adding liquid to the pan in the form of water, stock or any kind of alcohol.

Best cuts of meat for braising
Beef: oxtail, short rib, brisket, shin
Lamb: neck, shoulder, shank, tail
Pork: head, neck, shoulder, leg, belly, knuckle, trotter, tail
Venison: neck, shoulder, haunch, shank

Learn to cook online at learn.yuppiechef.com

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