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Lazy Braise
episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • cooking • 30m
G
episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • cooking • 30m
G
There’s something deeply satisfying about letting time do the heavy lifting. Slow cooking recipes aren't just about fall-apart meat and velvety sauces (although, that is definitely the goal!) – it’s a mindset. One that trades haste for depth, and rewards patience with richer flavour, softer textures, and a warm kitchen that smells like something’s on its way. They're also a great make-ahead option for entertaining.
Whether it’s a bubbling curry, tender lamb, or melt-in-your-mouth pork belly, these recipes have your comfort food cravings covered. And they are not all just meat recipes – vegetables too can benefit from the low and slow treatment. So clear your afternoon, pour a cup of something good, and let the oven, pot or embers work their quiet magic.
Adam Liaw’s coconut curry beef cheeks are cooked low and slow until they’re tender enough to yield to a spoon. A gingery, zesty gremolata with lime and coriander adds brightness to balance the rich, aromatic sauce.
Source: Jiwon Kim
This slow-roasted lamb shoulder is fall-apart tender after a long, low cook – try 110°C for 5–8 hours. Served with a creamy tahini dip, it’s a simple, satisfying dish that’s perfect for leisurely weekend entertaining.
Source: Jiwon Kim
Sticky, glossy and packed with umami, this classic Chinese pork belly dish is a slow-cooked marvel. A handful of pantry staples transforms into a deeply flavoured sauce that clings to each melt-in-your-mouth bite of pork.
Source: Jiwon Kim
A quick microwave of mushrooms dials up the flavour and down the cook time, while the long braise of the pot roast builds depth and turns chuck steak into something rich, velvety and fork-tender.
Source: Jiwon Kim
This French-inspired one-pot dish is pure comfort. Chicken thighs braise gently with white wine, garlic and herbs, while tarragon brings a soft aniseed lift. It’s a slow, simple cook with elegant, crowd-pleasing results.
Source: Donal's Meals in Minutes
Nine hours of roasting and this melt-in-your-mouth pulled pork comes to life. Serve it with BBQ sauce and any of your favourites sides – coleslaw, roast potatoes or simple flatbread, all do great things.
Source: SBS Food
Inspired by Pati's travels in the Mexican state of Jalisco, in this recipe, lamb marinated in a rich adobo is cooked to tender perfection, then served up with a rich salsa.
Source: Pati's Mexican Table
While roasting a whole lamb on an open fire takes a bit of practice, you could also spit roast the lamb or even roast a leg or shoulder of lamb in your oven or covered barbecue. It’s simple and tasty and the saltbush makes a stunning accompaniment.
Slow-cooked lamb shoulder Source: Peter Kuruvita's Coastal Kitchen
Homemade gnocchi is a revelation. They’re little pillows that soak up sauce readily, like in this simple but excellent braised beef recipe.
Source: Benito Martin
This Southern American soul food dish is simple to make and so satisfying. Making this is more of an old-school process than an exact recipe; we have made rough suggestions but follow your instincts and taste as you go.
Source: Mark Roper
Tfaya, honey-spiked caramelised onions, is an accompaniment to this tagine recipe – but it can also make for a satisfying meal with just couscous.
Couscous has a long history in the region. Source: Chris Chen
These spicy burgers originated on the streets of Xi’an, a city in north-west China. They are stuffed full of slow-cooked lamb heavily spiced with cumin and an abundance of fiery chillies.
Source: Brett Stevens
Luke Nguyen takes two classic soups from France and Vietnam, and combines them to delicious effect in this recipe. It's not fusion, as much as an exploration of history and culture through soup.
Source: Alan Benson
Meat and bones aren't the only things that can withstand a long roasting and emerge at the other end, supple and aromatic – vegetables are amazing too when given a bit of time. Check out these still-pert oregano and caraway sprinkled tomatoes that are fresh from a three-hour-long roasting. Perfection.
Winter is the perfect time to cook sticky, gelatinous beef cheeks. In this recipe, they’re flavoured with a few Asian ingredients, which add more aroma and zing than most European versions.
Braised beef cheeks with ginger and lemongrass Source: Alan Benson
While this well-behaved lamb slowly prepares itself to be tossed through pappardelle with green olives and almonds, we guarantee a little free time up your sleeve, because your dinner is essentially autonomous.
“In this recipe, beef shin results in a beautifully tender meat, whilst the coconut milk and candlenuts make a moreish sauce,” says Adam Liaw of Nyonya or Peranakan dish, Singapore's original fusion cuisine.
Source: Adam Liaw
With slow-cooked shredded lamb, eggplant and a béchamel sauce enriched with kefalograviera (hard, sheep’s milk cheese), this moussaka puts a cheesy grin on our faces.
Source: Kitti Gould
This hearty Georgian soup is all about bold contrasts – tangy tamarind and tomato, mellow beef, and toasted walnuts for body. Simmered gently, it delivers layer after layer of warmth, texture and sharp, savoury bite.
Source: Alan Benson
Slow cooking is the perfect way to enjoy cheap cuts of meat with maximum flavour and nutrition. The inclusion of a few bones will make any leftovers the perfect base to a delicious soup. Nothing is wasted and everything gained in these saucy shanks.
The classic Indian curry, rogan josh, gets an Australian feel with the addition of kangaroo. But don't think it's purely a meaty affair! Chickpeas, tomato and spinach add a wholesome quality to the hearty dish.
Source: Gourmet Game
Beef shin is an excellent cut of meat for slow-cooking and this recipe from Matthew Evans showcases classic casserole flavours in carrot, celery, onion and red wine. Serve any excess sauce with pasta tomorrow.
Beef shin daube Source: Alan Benson
A beloved Taiwanese comfort dish, lu rou fan pairs sticky soy-braised pork with steamed rice. Star anise and five spice perfume the slow-simmered sauce, creating the kind of deeply savoury bowl that satisfies from the first spoon.
Source: Mandy Lee
