Instructions: I love braised meat. Beef, pork or lamb, gently simmered for what seems like an unreasonably long time, becomes so tender you can practically eat it with a spoon. The secret: Use the right cut of meat and never rush.

Braising is cooking in liquid at a low temperature in a covered pot, either on top of the stove or in the oven. Back when cooking meant building a fire, the pot was set over hot embers. More embers were piled onto the lid, which had a raised edge to contain the coals, creating a heat source from above and below.

The technique has long been an ideal way to transform tough, heavily marbled, and often inexpensive cuts of meat into tender, complex and delicious meals.

You first sear all sides to create a crusty, flavorful, caramelized exterior, then gently cook the meat in liquid to moisten it and help break down connective tissue, the tough part of the meat. The tight lid traps in moisture as the cooking liquid - usually wine or stock - evaporates. Aromatic ingredients such as onions, carrots, celery, leeks and herbs help season the dish.

But braising isnt limited to meat. The French classic coq au vin is chicken cooked in wine and was traditionally made with older, tougher birds that needed tenderizing to be palatable. Hearty vegetables such as artichokes, cabbage, leeks and celery lend themselves beautifully to braising, though the initial searing is eliminated and cooking time is reduced considerably. Most fish is too delicate to braise and fares better with speedier methods. The same is true for lean cuts of meat, which tend to dry out and become tough in a braising pot.

The popularity of braising crosses cultures and borders. Jewish families have brisket, Italians have osso buco and New Englanders have pot roast. At the Village Pub, weve adopted the French approach to braising with our Daube of Beef. Its a dish so basic to French cuisine that some households even have a daubiere among their cookware, a lidded casserole used especially for making daube.

At the restaurant, I marinate the beef in wine for three full days prior to cooking. The acidity of the wine helps break down the protein and, if done right, makes it unbelievably tender. You dont need to invest in an expensive vintage, just something drinkable. For the meat, we use the eye of the chuck - a cut that is marbled with plenty of fat. Beef shoulder or shanks also work well. We cook the meat at a low temperature for about five hours, a leisurely pace that slowly coaxes out the fat, which melts and then saturates and moistens the beef.

Although this can serve a crowd, dont shy away if there are just a few of you. It becomes even more tender as a leftover. Pull the meat into bite-size chunks the day after and fold it into a pasta sauce, or tuck it into a baguette for a sandwich.

Daube of beef is just a starting point. You can easily take the same approach with pork shoulder, perhaps substituting white wine for red and adding a handful of chopped sage to the braising liquid. Or use lamb shanks, adding about a pound of chopped tomatoes to the vegetables and a few sprigs of rosemary in place of the thyme.

The best tip I can give you is to rely a little more on your intuition when following a recipe and a little less on your intellect. In cooking, there is no substitute for your senses: the sound of the sizzle as the meat hits the hot pan; the smell of the onions as they begin to caramelize; the look of the gently bubbling red wine; the feel of the meat under your fingertips as you test for doneness; and the taste of the finished product. Trust your senses instead of a measuring cup and timer, and you will have learned the best-kept secret of any good restaurant kitchen.

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