Mom’s Braised Potatoes – “Тушеная Картошка”

Braised Potatoes were my Mom’s signature dish when my siblings and I were growing up. The tender potatoes with juicy pork or chicken has carrots and onions to give it a rich and hearty flavor, made with simple ingredients that are most likely kitchen staples, all cooked in one pan. It can be served as a meat and potato main course or as a rich stew.

How To Cook Braised Potatoes With Meat and Vegetables

I am convinced that most Slavic people grew up on these potatoes, aka “Тушеная Картошка”. My husband shares my memory and whenever it’s mentioned in Russian/Belarussian/Ukrainian company, everyone knows exactly what we’re talking about. I can even picture my mom standing next to the kitchen stove stirring a big black pot full of these braised potatoes.

This is the Slavic equivalent of macaroni and cheese, meatloaf, or whatever else American kids grew up eating. Basically, it’s potatoes with meat, onions and carrots. It’s all cooked together in one pot, (Yay for less dishes to wash) and has a homey, comforting taste.

The tender, juicy meat and perfectly cooked chunks of potatoes are coated in a satiny sauce that the carrots, onions and starch from the potatoes form. It can be served as a main course or meat and potatoes or as a stew.

You may not find this on our party menus, but trust me, when you need a quick meal that is comforting and delicious, we roll up our sleeves and get these four simple staple ingredients in the pot.

What Are “Braised” Potatoes?

It’s a very basic method of slowly cooking cubes of potatoes along with meat and vegetables, with a moderate amount of liquid, until everything is tender. The liquid can be discarded or served along with the rest of the meal as a stew.

What Potatoes Are Best For Braising?

My favorite potatoes to use are the gold/yellow potatoes. They have a medium amount of starch, which means that the potatoes don’t fall apart as much as baking/russet potatoes but are tender and cook consistency. However, any type of potatoes can be used for this recipe. You can peel the potatoes, or keep the potato skin on.

What Type of Meat Is Best For Braising?

It is best to use meat that isn’t too lean, since the potatoes and meat cook on lower heat for a longer period of time and leaner cuts of meat, like chicken breast or pork loin or tenderloin, will overcook by the time the potatoes cook through and will be dry and tough.

I like using pork shoulder, aka Boston butt, or pork country style ribs or dark poultry meat, like boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. They will be tender and won’t get dry as the potatoes and meat simmer.

If you do use chicken breast, pork loin or pork tenderloin, sauce the meat until cooked through, set aside and add to the potatoes at the very end of cooking, right before cooking, so the meat stays tender and doesn’t overcook.

How To Prepare Braised Potatoes With Meat and Vegetables?

Tutorial photo of cooking braised potatoes with meat and vegetables.

Heat the oil in a medium or large pot or deep skillet on medium high heat. Add the pork or chicken and cook in batches, until the meat is golden brown on both sides. Set is aside in a separate bowl. (To get a good sear, blot the meat dry before adding it to the skillet, make sure there is enough oil to cover the bottom of the pot/skillet and it is heated until really hot. Don’t turn the meat over until you get a good sear and the meat releases naturally when you attempt to turn it over.)
Remove excess oil, and then add the onion, season with salt and ground black pepper, cooking for about 3 minutes, until it softens, scraping the bottom of the pot/skillet to release the fond. (If the skillet gets too brown, pour in a small amount of liquid, until all the bottom of the pot/skillet is clean.)
Add the carrots and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until they soften. (You can grate the carrots, cut into circles or matchsticks.) Add the garlic, creating a clear space in the center of the carrots, cooking for just 30 seconds – 1 minutes.
Return the meat back to the vegetables, mixing everything to combines. Season everything with your favorite seasonings, dry herbs and spices.
In a separate bowl, combine the peeled and cut potatoes, seasoning with salt and ground black pepper. Mix to combine. Place the potatoes on top of the vegetables and meat, leaving them in one layer on top of everything. Placing the potatoes on top of everything, will allow them to sort of steam as they cook, and it will keep them from falling apart and turning into mush. They will gently be steaming on top.
Pour in enough water to barely cover the potatoes. Add the dry bay leaf. Bring it to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, covered, for 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes and meat are tender and cooked through.
Stir gently to mix the potatoes with the other ingredients. Garnish with fresh herbs. Serve hot.

Reheating Braised Potatoes

Store leftovers in the refrigerator. Heat up leftovers in a nonstick skillet, with a bit of butter and add some shredded cheese.

Cooking the Braised Potatoes in the Instant Pot

Braised Potatoes are a perfect method to be used in the Instant Pot, an electric pressure cooker, which cuts down on the cooking time.

Recipe for cooking this recipe in the Instant Pot with a video.