by Brad Keeton » Fri Feb 27, 2015 3:01 pm
I'd probably brown the meat first, remove the meat, add a little flour to the leftover fat, cook that a minute or two, build your braising liquid and bring to temp making sure things are smooth, then add the meat back in for the braise.
I'd go very light on the flour on the front end because you don't want the liquid to be too thick during the braise, and you'll inevitably lose some of the braising liquid to evaporation during the braise, no matter how tight your lid fits. You can always add a little corn starch slurry or even a tablespoon of butter at the end after you de-fat the liquid when making the sauce.
The problem with just adding flour at the end is that the sauce will taste like flour if it doesn't cook enough. Cooking it in the fat at the front end will both help thicken and add a little nutty flavor.
"I don't eat vegans. They're too bony."
-Alton Brown