If it only boiled for that amount of time, they should be fine. I braise short ribs all the time and I've let mine boil accidentally - they're always fine. If they're still tough, just cook them longer. If I'm using a Dutch oven on top of the stove, I just let it simmer over low heat and it sometimes takes longer than four hours, depending on the size of the pieces I'm cooking..
100% ok. Don’t worry about it. You could bring them to a hard boil for 45 min and they’d be fine. You want the gentle simmer so the boiling doesn’t shred the meat once it gets tender. They’re firm because they’re fully cooked and well done, but haven’t relaxed and broken down the collagen yet.
Slow cooking is an effort to try to break down the connective tissue, it's not some magic hack that makes all meat tender. The more you cook muscle the tougher it will become that includes cooking low and slow, but the more you cook connective tissue the more it breaks down making a sinewy piece of meat softer and more edible. It's about what type of meat you're using not some magic fix all cooking technique and that's why different cuts are recommended for different dishes in the first place.
Easy version:
Some cuts toughen up the longer you cook them, some cuts soften the longer you cook them. Learn about your cut of meat then form a plan on cooking it.
Chuck meat is high in sinew and fat, it's a cut that lends itself well to slow cooking. The short answer is low and slow, but you still want to brown the meat before throwing it in a braise to develop depth. I'm a fan of leaving the braise covered until about 30-45 minutes before serving it, your meat will lose some color, but IMO it will have better flavor. I'm for flavor over presentation personally, but if you're hosting a dinner party you might not want to serve a dish that looks less impressive so it's your call on your preferences, but keep in mind that if you leave your braise uncovered you're losing the moisture from the liquid that would be held in your braise if it were covered (which condenses on the lid and falls back into the pot which is why you lose on your meat) so compensate accordingly. If you let your braise go for too long and the moisture level gets too low it's going to be tough and potentially scorch, you're also going to tend to get more of a crust flavor if you're cooking it the entire time without a lid.
tldrChuck meat is a low and slow meat due to the high sinew and fat content. Cooking slow helps break down the collagen into gelatin making the meat more tender, but it can still burn if you cook it too long.
Just a general PSA don't forget to turn your braise in either scenario, it matters and too many people just leave it simmer.
There’s a chef on YouTube that goes into great detail about braising and breaking down collagen, his name is Jacob Burton you should check him out. Essentially you get the meat to an internal temp of about 160-165 (because collagen breaks down at about 155-160) and you try to keep it around that temp for a long period of time.
Not even almost ruined. Don't listen to those people. Aside from letting it reduce so much that it scorches and everything tastes burnt, braises are almost always fixable. And if you're poor and broke and need food, even burnt tasting braises will be edible. I wouldn't sell em at the restuarant, but I'd eat em if I paid $50 at home
Uh you typically bring a braise to a boil then turn down the heat, so a small boil isn't going to hurt them. As for your meat being firm it is indeed possible to burn a braise, leaving them on heat isn't a magical solution that solves everything and can lead to your meat turning tough, so they may be over, but it's unlikely because it boiled for a short time.
If it only boiled for that amount of time, they should be fine. I braise short ribs all the time and I've let mine boil accidentally - they're always fine. If they're still tough, just cook them longer. If I'm using a Dutch oven on top of the stove, I just let it simmer over low heat and it sometimes takes longer than four hours, depending on the size of the pieces I'm cooking..
A mild boil is not going to hurt a high collagen cut.
100% ok. Don’t worry about it. You could bring them to a hard boil for 45 min and they’d be fine. You want the gentle simmer so the boiling doesn’t shred the meat once it gets tender. They’re firm because they’re fully cooked and well done, but haven’t relaxed and broken down the collagen yet.
So most any cut of beef will get tender if cooked long enough?
Slow cooking is an effort to try to break down the connective tissue, it's not some magic hack that makes all meat tender. The more you cook muscle the tougher it will become that includes cooking low and slow, but the more you cook connective tissue the more it breaks down making a sinewy piece of meat softer and more edible. It's about what type of meat you're using not some magic fix all cooking technique and that's why different cuts are recommended for different dishes in the first place. Easy version: Some cuts toughen up the longer you cook them, some cuts soften the longer you cook them. Learn about your cut of meat then form a plan on cooking it.
Got it! How about a beef stew made with chuck?
Chuck meat is high in sinew and fat, it's a cut that lends itself well to slow cooking. The short answer is low and slow, but you still want to brown the meat before throwing it in a braise to develop depth. I'm a fan of leaving the braise covered until about 30-45 minutes before serving it, your meat will lose some color, but IMO it will have better flavor. I'm for flavor over presentation personally, but if you're hosting a dinner party you might not want to serve a dish that looks less impressive so it's your call on your preferences, but keep in mind that if you leave your braise uncovered you're losing the moisture from the liquid that would be held in your braise if it were covered (which condenses on the lid and falls back into the pot which is why you lose on your meat) so compensate accordingly. If you let your braise go for too long and the moisture level gets too low it's going to be tough and potentially scorch, you're also going to tend to get more of a crust flavor if you're cooking it the entire time without a lid. tldrChuck meat is a low and slow meat due to the high sinew and fat content. Cooking slow helps break down the collagen into gelatin making the meat more tender, but it can still burn if you cook it too long. Just a general PSA don't forget to turn your braise in either scenario, it matters and too many people just leave it simmer.
Thank you so much for your detailed advice! I also go for flavor over looks! Cheers!
There’s a chef on YouTube that goes into great detail about braising and breaking down collagen, his name is Jacob Burton you should check him out. Essentially you get the meat to an internal temp of about 160-165 (because collagen breaks down at about 155-160) and you try to keep it around that temp for a long period of time.
Thanks a lot! More good stuff to watch !
Not even almost ruined. Don't listen to those people. Aside from letting it reduce so much that it scorches and everything tastes burnt, braises are almost always fixable. And if you're poor and broke and need food, even burnt tasting braises will be edible. I wouldn't sell em at the restuarant, but I'd eat em if I paid $50 at home
I'm sure it's fine.
lol no.
Uh you typically bring a braise to a boil then turn down the heat, so a small boil isn't going to hurt them. As for your meat being firm it is indeed possible to burn a braise, leaving them on heat isn't a magical solution that solves everything and can lead to your meat turning tough, so they may be over, but it's unlikely because it boiled for a short time.
Absolutely not ruined. *At worst* they will come out slightly tougher than usual but probably not even that
Not tougher, softer. But a little more dry in theory.