Which term is most appropriate for cooking meat slowly in a small amount of liquid until tender?

• A. Braise
• B. Blanch
• C. Brown
• D. Deblend

Answer: (A)

Braising is a moist-heat cooking method where meat is browned first and then cooked slowly in a small amount of liquid, usually covered, until it becomes tender. This approach lets the liquid flavor the meat and helps break down connective tissue, especially in tougher cuts, so the result is moist and flavorful with a sauce formed from the pan juices. The description matches braising because it emphasizes slow cooking in just enough liquid to partially submerge the meat, not full immersion or just initial searing. Blanching is a quick boil to whiten or purge impurities, browning is simply searing for color without long liquid cooking, and deblend isn’t a standard cooking term for tenderizing.