back kind of sorta...

sorry about the lack of posts in the past few months, i have been doing a lot of work related stuff that isnt something i can blog about, as well as moving at the same time. i am hoping to be able to get a few days off and post up some pictures. i have a laundry list of things i want to put up but this week i have been thinking about braising traditionally and braising sous vide style. the way i was always taught to braise was brining/marinating/caramelizing whatever method you decide (maybe all of them). stock (whatever it may be). and the regular braising shit you already know about cause chances are if your reading this you already know what braising is, if not look it up braise a few things then come back and re-read. anyways, lately i have been thinking about braising in terms of osmosis and the way salt cod reacts in water. in nature everything likes balance so when you put the salt cod into the water the water is replacing itself with salt and the salt is replacing itself with water in an attempt to try and balance itself out, so when you apply to braising you can see how brining your meat ahead you may lose some of the salt you already imparted for flavor ahead of time and how that salt could end up in your liquid that usually isnt too salty cause you want to reduce the braising liquid to make the liquid a little more intense. but then you end up cooking your braise in something that isnt seasoned fully and lacks depth in the end. i have eaten a lot of braised at a lot of well known places and this is what i am thinking most of the time when i eat there as well. so with this in thought i was thinking about how i could make a newer version of the sous vide style braise while keeping the tradtional style mixed in as well. most of the sous vide braises nowadays are literally salt pepper olive oil and a few herbs, and maybe a small amount of stock. the braise i have been thinking about lately is light brine the day ahead, caramelizing the lamb shank take out of pan. taking your mirepoix grinding it up caramelizing, deglaze red wine or stock. adding tomato paste caramelizing. deglaze. grinding up dried  porcini,chanterelle,morels,black trumpets adding to the paste. deglaze. add stock and other liquids, add in another set of caramelized lamb bones or veal bones or chicken bones to keep it less gummy even. reduce make sure seasoning is on point. balanced. put aside let congeal take lamb with whatever extra shit you want to put in the bag then putting your congealed reduction (while reserving some for sauce) into the bag that is already seasoned (both are seasoned) then letting it come back to room temp then putting into immersion circulator cooking for a good amount of time then letting it rest in the bag for a day. to order toss in immersion circulator. once heated through, cut a small hole in the bottom of the bag to allow the liquid to escape. reserve liquid. marry with the other reduction after fat is separated. take sauce and sharpen however you see fit. take basically i liquid form of gastrique (vinegar or very tart juice and sugar) put lamb shank in a tin and place under broiler or salamander while every couple of minutes taking out of salamander to laquer more gastrique onto shank, the liquid will essentially reduce on the shank itself creating a  "glaze". do all your other garnishes plate it up. boom. bangin.done.  i left out a lot of steps that i assume you already know like skimming, straining over and over, etc.... this is just more of a mind spilling out while i am typing thing. 

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[Chicken Fried Gourmet]

glad to see you back