braise

American  

[breyz] / breɪz /

verb (used with object)

braised, braising

1. to cook (meat, fish, or vegetables) by sautéeing in fat and then simmering slowly in very little liquid.

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braise British  

/ breɪz /

verb

1. to cook (meat, vegetables, etc) by lightly browning in fat and then cooking slowly in a closed pan with a small amount of liquid

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Etymology

Origin of braise

1760–70; < French braiser, derivative of braise live coals < Germanic; akin to Swedish brasa pyre, fire, whence brasa to roast, cognate with Danish brase

Explanation

Braise meat or vegetables by cooking them very slowly in fat and a small amount of liquid. If you braise those potatoes and carrots, they'll be delicious! The word for this cooking method comes from the French braiser, "to cook over live coals," and braise, "live coals." When you braise food today, you're not literally cooking over coals, but you are aiming for a combination of dry and wet cooking. A true braise involves searing or lightly frying, and then adding liquid and cooking in a covered pot on a low heat. Meat and root vegetables become particularly tender when you braise them.

Example Sentences

Quail is wonderfully versatile — pan-fry it, grill it, roast it, even braise it if you’re feeling cozy.

From Salon • Dec. 4, 2025

There’s a fine line between a stew, a braise and a soup, and it’s quite subjective: Sometimes only a few spoons of broth make the difference.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 4, 2024

From his first taste of fresh mango at age 5 to the pork belly his mother loved to braise for him, food memories always have sustained him.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 16, 2024

In this recipe from our book “Milk Street Tuesday Nights,” which limits recipes to 45 minutes or less, we use a quick homemade coconut milk to braise savory chicken thighs.

From Washington Times • Jul. 26, 2023

Keep the backs and other trimmings in the braise, and add the onions and celery; any remains of cold game can be put in, and 3 pints of stock.

From The Book of Household Management by Beeton, Mrs. (Isabella Mary)