Season the meat. If necessary to prevent overbrowning, add a small amount of liquid (about ½ cup for a roast). Many cuts of meat can be braised without added liquid. Steam from meat juices trapped in a covered pan provides enough moisture. Cover pan tightly.
Cook slowly over low heat or in a 350° F. oven until tender, adding more liquid if needed. Use the timetable (p. [22]) as a guide to braising time.
TIMETABLE FOR BROILING MEATS
| Kind and cut of meat | Approximate thickness | Degree of doneness | Approximate total cooking time[9] |
| Inches | Minutes | ||
| Beef steaks | 1 | Rare | 10 to 15 |
| (Club, porterhouse, rib, sirloin, T-bone, tenderloin) | 1 | Medium | 15 to 20 |
| 1 | Well done | 20 to 30 | |
| 1½ | Rare | 15 to 20 | |
| 1½ | Medium | 20 to 25 | |
| 1½ | Well done | 25 to 40 | |
| 2 | Rare | 25 to 35 | |
| 2 | Medium | 35 to 45 | |
| 2 | Well done | 45 to 55 | |
| Hamburgers | ¾ | Rare | 8 |
| ¾ | Medium | 12 | |
| ¾ | Well done | 14 | |
| Lamb chops | 1 | Medium | 12 |
| (Loin, rib, shoulder) | 1 | Well done | 14 |
| 1½ | Medium | 18 | |
| 1½ | Well done | 22 | |
| Cured ham slices | ¾ | Well done | 13 to 14 |
| (Cook-before-eating) | 1 | Well done | 18 to 20 |
FOOTNOTES:
[9] Meat at refrigerator temperature at start of broiling.
TIMETABLE FOR BRAISING MEATS
| Kind and cut of meat | Approximate ready-to-cook weight or thickness | Approximate total cooking time |
| BEEF | ||
| Hours | ||
| Pot roast, such as chuck or round | 3 to 5 pounds | 3 to 4 |
| Steak, such as chuck or round | 1 to 1½ inches | 2 to 2½ |
| Short ribs | 2 to 2½ pounds | 2 to 2½ |
| VEAL | ||
| Chops | ½ to ¾ inch | ¾ |
| Shoulder, rolled | 3 to 5 pounds | 2 to 2½ |
| LAMB | ||
| Chops | ½ to ¾ inch | ½ to ¾ |
| Shanks | 1 pound each | 1½ to 2 |
| Shoulder, rolled | 3 to 5 pounds | 2 to 2½ |
| PORK | ||
| Chops | ½ to 1 inch | ¾ to 1 |
| Spareribs | 2 to 3 pounds | 1½ to 2½ |
Quick beef pie
6 servings