The food is cooked in liquid in a covered pan. It is a combination of stewing and pot-roasting. There are two methods of braising: brown and white. In brown braising joints and portion cuts of meat are marinated and may be larded then sealed quickly by browning on all sides in a hot oven or in a pan on the stove. Sealing the joints helps retain flavor and nutritive value, and gives a good brown color. Joints are then placed on a bed of root vegetables in a braising pan, with the liquid and other flavorings, covered with a lid and cooked slowly in the oven. In white braising vegetables and sweetbreads are blanched, refreshed and cooked on a bed of root vegetables with white stock in a covered container in the oven. The advantages are: older, tougher, cheaper joints of meat and poultry can be used; maximum flavor and nutritive value are retained; and variety of presentation and flavor is given to the menu.