Smothering is the Louisiana cooking term for slowly browning meat or vegetables in a covered pot until tender and deeply flavored.
The method usually begins by browning the main ingredient in a heavy pot. Vegetables, seasonings, and a small amount of liquid are then added, and the food cooks slowly under a lid. The trapped steam and gentle heat soften the ingredients while concentrating flavor.
Smothered dishes are common in Cajun and Creole home cooking and may use chicken, pork, beef, okra, cabbage, or other vegetables. The finished food is often served with rice or another starch.
Smothering should not be confused with blackening, a high-heat technique associated with heavily seasoned food cooked in a very hot pan. It is also distinct from smoking, which exposes food to wood smoke, and from conventional braising, a broader culinary category involving slow cooking in liquid.