If you are not familiar with the different cuts of meat, the word ‘steak’ may lead you to thinking this cut of meat can be cooked like any other prime steak.
So can you fry beef braising steak? No, as the name suggests, braising steak requires slower cooking in liquid for it to be able to break down the tough muscle fibres and become tender. If you fry your braising steak like a prime steak, it will be tough and difficult to chew.
Why You Shouldn’t Fry Beef Braising Steak
Beef braising steak is typically taken from the beef forequarter, meaning the front quarter of the cow, ie: the shoulder of the animal.
As you can imagine, the shoulder of the animal is a very hard working muscle group, and therefore develops tough fibres throughout the meat.
If you try to cook this meat quickly, as in frying, then the meat does not have the time to break down those tough muscle fibres, and the meat will be hard and difficult to chew.
The word ‘Braise’ means to cook slowly in liquid, and so the ‘Braising’ steak is named after the type of cooking that it requires in order to be tender.
Can I Cook Braising Steak In A Frying Pan?
Although you cannot ‘fry’ braising steak and expect it to be tender, you can cook the braising steak in a frying pan if it is deep enough to hold enough liquid to cover the meat.
Many people who have a deep enough skillet will sear the braising steak in the dry pan before adding the liquid and allowing it to simmer on the stove top until tender.
Should I sear Braising Steak?
Braising Steak should be seared prior to braising to help seal in the natural juices of the meat, as well as adding flavor with the seared coating.
Searing the beef on a high heat in the frying skillet will form a crust on the outside of the meat that will allow the meat to remain moist during the longer cooking process. It will also add rich flavors to the meat that will add depth to your finished meal.
However, if you were to remove the meat after doing the sear and attempt to eat it like you would a prime steak, the meat would be tough, chewy and no very pleasant to eat.
You can learn more about searing meat on this wiki page.
How Does Slow Cooking Benefit Beef Braising Steak?
As we have mentioned, the braising steak cut is a tough cut of beef made up of tough muscle fibres.
Cooking slowly over a low heat allows these tough fibres to soften up without the meat becoming dried out.
Depending on the type of meal you are serving, there are a variety of liquids that you can use to change the flavor of your dish.
Some examples of popular braising liquids are:
- Red or White Wine
- Beef Stock
- Beer
- Gravy
- Port
Ensuring the meat remains in liquid during the whole cooking process is vital to having the beef become tender and enjoyable.
Adding vegetables to the beef during the cooking time will enable to provide a one dish easy dinner that will be rich and full of flavor.
Here is a great video that goes into the details of how braising works to break down the meat fibres and how slow cooking works.
What are the Names of Beef Braising Steak Cuts?
Braising steak and stewing steak are often confused as the same thing as they are both cooked long and slow in liquid.
However, generally the braising steak is served in slices of meat, whereas the stewing beef of served as chunks or flakes of meat.
The most common names of Beef Braising Steaks cuts that will usually remain as slices after cooking are:
- Shoulder Steak
- Blade Steak
- Mock Filet
- Shank Rings
- Chuck Eye Steak
- Short Ribs
- Brisket
You can read our article about the differences between Stewing and Braising Steak for more detailed information.
How to Cook Braising Steak
Here are some videos that will show you different methods of cooking beef braising steak to ensure you get fantastic results and a tasty and tender dish.
The videos show braising methods for Beef Braising Steaks in Slices, Diced and cooked as a Pot Roast to show you just how versatile this method of cooking is.
So hopefully you now see why it is essential that you don’t try to ‘Fry’ braising steak and eat it like a prime steak, however with the right cooking, these braising steak cut can be much cheaper and more enjyable than the more expensive frying cuts of beef.
