#braising

#braising

Beginner cooks often fall into the trap of buying a cheap piece of meat. When you aren't well-versed in the different cuts, it can be hard to understand why chuck roast is on sale for $8 a pound while those Wagyu ribeyes and USDA prime steaks are going for much more. Visually, they seem like they could be similar - but when that first forkful makes it to your mouth, the tough texture makes the price difference clear.

We often braise chicken and rabbit legs at Cafe Cecilia, because all the preparation and cooking can be done ahead of time, and it's then just about heating them gently to serve. For Christmas, I often employ much the same process for turkey legs it's a lovely way to eat them. Serve with colcannon, although basmati rice, boiled new potatoes or roast carrots would also go great.

Ground beef is designed to be cooked quickly, and we love the ease that comes with the cut. Throw in some minced onions and garlic, stir it around, and before you know it, it's ready to be served. Although a good mix of herbs and spices boosts the savory meat's taste, ground beef gets the best flavor when you have the patience to braise it.

Short ribs might look like a steak with extra bone, but they're built differently. Cut from the lower rib cage, they carry thick, durable layers of muscle, connective tissue, and fat, all woven around hefty bones. That structure means quick heat is all wrong for them. Drop them in a sizzling skillet, and the proteins in the meat will seize up, chewy and unyielding.

There's nothing like a good beef stew. Every country's got one - Hungarian goulash, Spain's rabo de toro - and they're all worth making at least once. But Julia Child kept coming back to boeuf bourguignon. In "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," she called it "one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man." Hard to argue with that. Big chunks of beef, plenty of red wine, smoky bacon, mushrooms, onions - and somehow, it's even better the next day.

"The stock is really the most important element. Wine adds complexity and acid. Stock bolsters the meaty taste of your protein, doubling up on its natural umaminess."