The word “smothering” doesn’t always have the best connotation (see: relationships or preventing someone from breathing). But when it comes to cooking, it’s something I crave when in need of solace. Basically a stovetop braise, smothering is a technique most often associated with chicken or pork – but can be used with other types of animal proteins as well as vegetables – where the braising liquid is thickened to form a luscious gravy. And that gravy is the true star of the dish.
“The gravy could be a meal on its own if you do it right,” chef and cookbook author Adrienne Cheatham says.
