The phrase "try to ___" can be used when you fail:

I've tried to quit smoking on a number of occasions, but it's never worked.

But you can also use "try to" to talk about something that was successful. When you do this, "try to" usually introduces a technique that you used. The example at top falls into this category. Here's another example:

I tried to keep the heat low, so that the bottom doesn't get burnt.