As a rule, use moist-heat cooking when the meat is not naturally tender, and dry-heat cooking when it is.
Moist-heat cooking methods include boiling, simmering, poaching, stewing, steaming, braising, and pressure-cooking. It is the best choice when a meat contains a large quantity of connective tissue.
Dry-heat cooking methods include roasting, baking, broiling, grilling, microwave cooking, pan-frying, and deep-frying. Generally, you use dry-heat cooking methods for naturally tender meats such as young chicken and sirloin steaks.
Borderline meat cases can be tipped in favor of dry-heat cooking if the meat is well marbled or its exterior is protected with fat by basting, barding (wrapping solid fat around the meat), or larding (inserting solid fat into the meat).
