When times are tough, the tough meat gets braised.

Braising — cooking slowly with moist heat — is a classic method used to tenderize tough cuts of meat, or to add rich flavor to less expensive poultry or game.

Even if you don't know what "braising" is, chances are good that you've probably done it. Although you might refer to your Sunday pot roast as "roast beef," it was actually braised.

And Utah's popular Dutch oven cooking, as well as the Crock-Pot, use the same concept of slow cooking in moist heat.

Braising is very "in" right now, even with folks who can well afford tenderloin or lobster, judging by the menus of some of the posh dinners given during Sundance. The Food Network's "Iron Chef" Cat Cora served braised beef short ribs at a dinner for actor/comedian Chris Rock. STK chef Todd Mark Miller's lunch for Spike Lee included braised short ribs with parsnips and sunchokes.

And the Chefdance dinner cooked by Zane Holmquist of Stein Eriksen Lodge included Rocky Mountain elk osso buco, another braised dish.

"To be quite honest, if you know how to prepare them, the lesser cuts can be more luscious," said John Lindenauer, a Bon Appetit chef cooking with Cora at the dinner for Rock. "They have more collagen because they come from the animal's shoulders and legs, where the animal works the muscles more. So when you bite in, it's rich, viscous and so good in the winter."

Cuts of meat that come from the animal's legs and shoulder are tough. By using some braising liquid and keeping the cooking temperature near the boilingpoint of water for a long period, the tough collagen converts to gelatin. This is the protein responsible for the tender, rich meat and thick sauces of braised dishes, according to "Best Slow & Easy Recipes" by the editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine.

To get a caramelized, "roasted" flavor, most recipes first start out with searing the meat before the long simmer. Then you add some type of liquid and cover with a lid. The moisture will steam and cook the meat while the melting fat adds juiciness.

Braising takes time, often several hours. But you are eventually rewarded with fall-off-the-bone tender meat, with a rich, flavorful sauce as a bonus.

Also, once the meat is in the oven, you're free to turn to other tasks, since these dishes don't require much attention during the lengthy simmering time. Meanwhile, the tantalizing aromas and heat from the oven cozies up your kitchen.