How to Pick a Steak

To choose the best steak for your money (and it can be a lot of money), pay attention to the type of cut and the grade - as well as a few things that are not so obvious. Here's what to keep in mind if you want a classic steak to grill, broil or panfry.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Barbecue Sauces
• Steaks

1. Get to know the cuts, which are sold under many different names. Tenderloin, also known as filet, is boneless and is the most expensive; strip, also known as New York, is boneless and has real beef flavor; T-bone and porterhouse, which are similar, have a large bone; rib steak (with a bone) and rib eye (boneless) are fattier, with rich flavor; and top sirloin is leaner and less expensive.

2. Determine how tender you like your steak. The most tender cuts come from the part of the animal that gets the least exercise. From most tender to least tender: tenderloin, strip, porterhouse and T-bone, rib, top sirloin.

3. Use the U.S. Department of Agriculture's grades as a basic guide to quality. Prime beef has the most marbling, or fat within the meat, but is found mainly in restaurants, rarely in grocery stores. Choice, with good levels of marbling, is juicy and tender, and the most widely available. Select tends to be leaner and less flavorful, and dries out more easily.

4. Check with your butcher to find out if the meat has been aged, which tenderizes and mellows the flavor.

5. Allow at least 4 oz. of steak per serving - double or triple that for hungry eaters, or if the steak contains a bone.

Tips & Warnings

• The more marbling, or flecks of fat, the more flavorful the steak. Be sure that the marbling is evenly distributed.

• Look for meat with a smooth, tight grain.

• A general rule of toughness: The closer the meat is to a hoof or horn, the tougher the meat will be.

• The porterhouse is also known as the sweetheart steak because it is actually two steaks, providing two servings in one.

• When purchasing rib eye steak, ask specifically for cuts from the small end, which are closest to the tenderloin, contain the least fat and are best for grilling.

• If meat smells bad, take it back to the butcher shop.