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You want to cook some nice steaks for dinner tonight. You go to the grocer or meat market to buy a couple of good steaks. The array and price range is mind boggling. You pick a couple that look pretty good and don't cost a fortune, take them home, grill them up, and what happened? Choosing and buying a good steak isn't all that, well, tough. With a little help and guidance, your next steak will be the tasty experience you were looking for.

First, it is like anything else, it is not what you know, it is who you know. You need to get to know the person behind the meat counter. In the worst case, they know a lot more than you do. In the best case, they know exactly what they are talking about and can help you buy the right cut for what you need. They will happily point you in the right direction and keep you from making an expensive mistake with your steak.

But no matter how good or friendly your butcher is, a little knowledge goes a long way. Plus, if you end up at your local warehouse club or discount store, you may not have a butcher to rely on.

So, start with the easy stuff. There are three grades of beef commonly available in retail markets; Prime, Choice, and Select in that order. Less than 3% of beef is good enough quality for the USDA to label it Prime. So if you can find a steak that is graded Prime in a cut you like and can afford your search is over.

One of the things that make a Prime steak prime is the marbling, or lines of fat running through the steak. This is where many steak buyers go wrong. They think they want lean steaks, and a lean steak can be a tough steak.

The next grade down is Choice. Choice usually covers a much wider range of quality than Prime, so here again is where the butcher can help. If not, take a tip from the Prime grade and look for steaks with a bit of fat running through in small veins.

The third grade is Select and if you can afford better, don't waste your money on Select grade.

Avoid steaks that are grey or brownish in color and look for a light red steak. It should also be firm to the touch and have a fine texture. If you are looking at the pre-packaged meat, make sure there isn't any extra moisture in the package and be sure and check the sell by date. Also, compare the packaged date with the sell by date.

Regardless of the cut and grade you buy, remember these few simple tips for a tender, juicy, delicious steak the next time you grill.

Learn more about this author, Darryl Brooks.
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