Have you ever walked by those less expensive cuts of meat and wondered how to prepare them so that they don’t require you to chew them forever? Braising is the perfect cooking method for those cheaper but tougher cuts, such as chuck or round steak, pork or lamb shoulder and brisket, as the moist, slow heat breaks down the connective tissues to make them delicious. There are some tips and secrets to braising food that will make you feel like a pro handling meat, poultry and even vegetables in braising liquids.

Tip One: Sear the meat before you start the simmering.

Browning the outside of the meat before you add liquid adds an extra layer of flavor that takes your dish from good to great. Heat a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or stewpot, add a mix of butter and oil to keep the fat from burning and add your meat. Turn it to get every surface a deep golden brown.

Tip Two: Season the meat well.

This is the time to use those herbs you gathered from your garden and dried for the future. Rub them into the meat, along with salt and pepper, before you begin cooking it, and then add more during the braising period and sprinkle a few fresh herbs on top just before you serve it up.

Tip Three: Pick the perfect pot.

You can make a braise work in any pot, but, if you’re going for the best possible results, pick a pot with a heavy bottom and a tightly fitted lid. The heavy bottom will keep the heat evenly distributed so that your dish cooks “low and slow,” while the well-closed lid hold the moisture and the flavor inside so that it goes back into the food to infuse it with multiple layers of deliciousness.

Tip Four: Enhance and enrich your braising liquid.

Plain water is perfectly acceptable for braising, but it is…well, plain. Switch to broth, and you’ll add tons of new flavor. Get even crazier by switching out the water or broth for beer for pork or cider for chicken, and you’ll love porter or stout as the braising liquid for beef.

Enrich those flavors with wine, brandy, fruit juices or even vinegar to bring out all the taste hiding in the pot. Enhance the flavor even more with a traditional mirepoix of onion, celery and carrots, or mix it up by adding lemon, orange or lime peels, anchovies, ginger or mushrooms.

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