Weezie wrote:

> >Beef and chicken don't toughen when you overcook them.?
> >Since when?
>
> What I mean to ask is there are certain situations when you can cook
> meat for a long time, like stewing beef or pot roast, and it retains
> its tenderness, or becomes even more tender. In which situations is
> cooking meat for a long time a good thing vs. a bad thing? In my mind,
> I was not thinking of steak, but I should have been more clear. Thank
> you for so eloquently pointing that out to me.

You can cook meat for longer periods if you adjust the heat and control
moisture. Stewing beef is one of the toughest cuts but can be tenderized
by long, slow cooking in liquid. But you have to be careful because
boiling it will make it tough, but a few hours of simmering will make it
tender. Spareribs can be cooked at low temperature (300F) with a dry rub
and for 1 1/2 - 2 hours in a covered pan and will be so tender the meat
will fall right off the bones. Braised ox tails also make a fabulous
stew.