Prepare to Braise is a cooking technique that involves searing the food in a hot pan before slowly cooking it in a liquid. The first step of this process is to SEAR the food, which is done by heating a pan over high heat and adding the food to the pan. This is often done with a four-letter word: SEAR. Searing the food helps to lock in the flavor and create a nice browned crust. After the food is seared, it is then cooked in a flavorful liquid such as broth or wine. This slow cooking process helps to tenderize the food and infuse it with flavor.