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Braising Techniques

Acropolis owner, Nick Kyriakidis was featured in the Annual Food and Drink issue of City Scope Magazine as part of their “Kitchen Tips and Tricks” article. Here are his tips for braising techniques.

Acropolis chef Nick Kyriakidis learned many of his kitchen skills from his father, who passed on to him “waste not” cooking techniques like braising, where food is lightly fried and stewed slowly. “Braising is a very rustic, Old World style of cooking. To me, it’s so comforting, and it’s what I remember from growing up,” he says.

Chef Nick’s braising tips:

Cook Low and Slow
“Sear your meat in a Dutch oven or any heavy pan, deglaze the pan with a liquid like wine or beer, add vegetables and then leave it at 300 to 325 degrees to cook slowly for hours,” Kyriakidis says.

Get Creative with Flavor
“Once you reduce your sauce, you can fortify it with all sorts of things,” he says. “Being Greek, sometimes I use orange and fennel for a really rich, sweet taste. But you can go all different directions with braising- there aren’t any rules for it.”

Try Different Cuts
According to Kyriakidis, second cuts are more and more readily available at most grocery stores. Look for beef short ribs, chuck round, and brisket as well as a pork shoulder and lamb shanks. “A ribeye in the store might be $10 per pound, whereas second cuts are usually about $4,” he says. “When you have to feed your family on a daily basis, a technique like braising that utilizes these cuts is really great.”

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