Braise
Etymology
From French "braiser," from "braise" (glowing coals, embers). The dish was originally cooked long and slow in a covered pot nestled among hot coals, and the name preserves that memory of cooking by ember heat.
verb · /BRAYZ/
To cook food slowly in a covered pot with a little liquid, after first browning it.
What it names
The method that turns tough, cheap cuts — shanks, shoulders, oxtail — into tender, deeply flavored comfort food.
Example
She browned the short ribs, then braised them in wine and stock for three hours until they fell off the bone.
Related idea
Distinct from a stew: braising uses a little liquid on large pieces that sit partly above it, while stewing fully submerges smaller chunks in more liquid.