How to Braise and Stew

Martha Stewart's Cooking School explains the cooking techniques braising and stewing. These methods are simple and are "a busy cook's faithful friends" (Stewart 180) because they don't require much interaction or equipment. This lesson goes on and states that "they work best with cuts of meat that are generally inexpensive" and therefor good for beginning cooks or cooks on a budget. (Stewart 180). The difference between braising and stewing are the size of the meat, and the liquid level; stewing is done with smaller pieces that are completely covered in liquid, while braising is bigger pieces that are partially submerged. "The most common [liquids] are stock, broth, wine, beer, and water." (Stewart 180)  Stewart then explains how these methods work. Braising and stewing use water convection, and that because the liquid doesn't boil, the meat should be seared before to deepen the flavor. Some of the best cuts of meat for these methods are beef brisket and chuck, lamb and veal shanks, pork shoulder, whole poultry, and firm fleshed fish (Stewart 181).
This lesson had good information for these simple methods. Are there any other methods, meats, or vegetables you want me to talk about next?

Grilling Tri-Tip Steak

Grilling is a dry-cooking method that cooks meat and other foods over hot coals or gas flame. "The radiant heat of the grill sears the meat- shrinking the muscle fibers on the outermost layer- and imparts a hearty, smoky flavor as the meat cooks." (Stewart 160). This method is used in many styles of cooking and in many countries, and Martha Stewart hypothesizes that it "has to do with being outdoors and feeling less restricted than in the kitchen" and that the aromas and sounds of grilling are very appealing (160). With grilling comes the question of how long and what heat to cook your food. While grilling you use either direct or indirect heat. "Some aficionados consider the time it takes for the food to cook as the deciding factor..." (160) This passage goes on to talk about the different heats (direct, indirect) for different meats, and explains that when you use lower heat that is when grilling becomes barbecuing. There are many different tips listed for grilling, and some of the most helpful ones were that bringing meat to room temperature before grilling helps meat cook more evenly, and that there are many factors that lead to flare-ups and that moving the meat around and trimming it helps prevent or stop them from happening. Martha Stewart's Cooking School provides interesting information that goes into detail about many different topics, methods, tools, and foods. Along with tips and background information, it provides recipes that allow for practicing the techniques and methods.
When I cooked the steak, I seasoned it with basic spices, and served it with a compound butter that was recommended to go with the steak in the book. I used direct medium high heat and cooked until medium-rare (internal temperature of 125 degrees).

This book talks about many different things, from herbs to knives to cooking methods. What cooking techniques, cuisines, or specific meats/vegetables, should I try next? (Again, this book covers pretty much everything).
Stewart, Martha, et al. Martha Stewart's Cooking School: Lessons and Recipes for the Home Cook. Clarkson Potter, 2008.