During my last visit to my grandmother’s, I noticed something surprising.   She placed the meat in a pot,  covered it with water, and then added a glass to the pot.   I was totally amazed and curious to know why she did this.   Once I discovered the reason, I couldn’t help but share this little secret with you.   

About 20 minutes later, I heard a faint noise: the glass started tapping against the bottom of the pot. My grandmother then removed the foam that had formed and lowered the heat. “Look, this is the moment to understand,” she said.

She explained that to keep the meat tender and juicy, it shouldn’t be cooked at too high a temperature. Boiling water would make the meat dry and tough, and all the nutrients would evaporate into the broth.

As soon as the water starts to simmer, the glass taps the bottom, signaling that it’s time to lower the heat. With low heat, the meat simmers slowly, staying tender, while the broth becomes rich, clear, and free of excess fat.

Here are some other useful kitchen tips:

• If you don’t have a glass, use a slotted spoon. When the broth boils, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. This method applies to all types of meat.
• To enhance the flavor, add a celery root, a carrot, and a whole onion with its skin to the broth. This will give the broth a golden hue and a deeper taste.

• If you want to remove fat, let the broth cool and skim off the solidified fat with a spoon.
• Before cooking the meat, marinate it for one or two hours in a mildly salted or vinegar-based solution. This helps tenderize the fibers and reduce the strong smell of game meat.