Cutting Meat for Stewing

For long, slow cooking, such as stewing and braising, you can use cuts like the chuck steak shown here, skirt or shin of beef or shoulder or breast meat of veal. During the cooking process the tough muscle should soften and the gelatinous tissues break down and melt into the sauce, making it rich and velvety. For this to happen the meat must be cut into even-sized pieces, either cubes or strips, so that they cook evenly.