What are Cooking Light's favorite cuts?
Two cuts show up repeatedly. Tenderloin is the most tender, luxurious cut you can buy, and it's very lean. Roasted whole, it's the ideal entree for a celebratory dinner. Cut into filets and pan-seared, it's a superb supper for two. Cut into cubes, it makes outstanding kebabs on the grill.

Flank steak is one of those tough-but-superflavorful cuts, and it has a little more fat than tenderloin. Sear flank steak quickly and slice thinly, or braise slowly and shred. Its flat shape and coarse grain absorb flavors quickly, making it a good candidate for marinades.

What should you look for when buying meat?
Beef should have a cherry red or -- if it's vacuum-packed -- a dark, purplish-red color; avoid meat with gray or brown blotches. The visible fat should be very white. Seek a moist surface and a fresh smell. Avoid packaged meat with a lot of liquid in the tray -- that's usually a sign the meat has been frozen and thawed.

Grades of beef: What do they mean, and what should you look for?
USDA grading has nothing to do with food safety; it's a measure of taste. The two most important factors in grading are the age of the animal and the marbling in the meat. Beef can be given one of eight grades, but only the top three -- Prime, Choice, and Select -- are sold in supermarkets and butcher shops. Restaurants buy up most of the Prime meat, so supermarkets sell mostly Choice and Select. Look for Choice when tenderness and juiciness matter most, such as for oven roasts or thick steaks for grilling. For pot roast or stew meat, Select is fine.

How long can you keep beef in the refrigerator or freezer?
Tightly wrapped and refrigerated, raw beef will last three to four days (ground beef, one to two days). At that point, it should be cooked or frozen. Cooked, it will keep in the refrigerator three to four days longer; frozen, it's best used within two months.

Which cuts are most tender, and are these tender cuts lean?
Generally speaking, the parts of a steer that are exercised the least -- those from the rib and the loin -- produce the most tender, lean cuts of meat.

From the rib, we get standing rib roast ("Prime rib," if you can get Prime grade) and rib eye steaks -- all tender but generally higher in fat. From the loin come the leanest, most tender, and most expensive cuts of all: beef tenderloin roast along with Porterhouse, T-bone, filet mignon, and New York strip steaks.

If rib and loin cuts are the most tender and leanest, then why eat anything else?
Flavor. Chefs and food experts agree that the parts of the animal that are exercised the most produce the most flavorful meat. If you're willing to accept a little chewiness in the name of flavor, try rump roast for Sunday dinner; it offers taste you just can't get from tenderloin.

How do you tenderize tough cuts of beef?
The most effective way is low, slow, moist heat. Braising and stewing break down the connective tissues and marbled fat, creating juicy, fork-tender meat with outstanding flavor. Just about any cut from the chuck or bottom round, as well as brisket, short ribs, and oxtails, makes great stews and braises.

Don't count on marinades to make chewy steaks tender. Marinating is great for adding flavor, but high-acid mixtures will only soften the surface, turning it mushy before the liquid can penetrate the meat. The best way to treat flavorful, chewy steaks -- especially top round, skirt, flank, or even sirloin -- is to sear quickly over high heat, as rare as you're willing to go (overcooking increases toughness). Slice thinly across the grain before serving.

How long should beef marinate to sufficiently absorb flavor?
A few hours will transfer flavor without making the surface of the meat mushy. Low-acid mixtures like teriyaki sauce can remain on for up to 48 hours, but don't let beef sit in a high-acid liquid, like lime juice, for more than an hour or two.

What is pot roast?
A great pot roast is the best way to convince people that inexpensive, tough cuts can be just as delicious as more expensive tender ones. Choosing the right roast is easy: Pick top blade roast (also called 7-bone roast because the blade bone resembles the number 7), boneless shoulder roast, arm pot roast, or chuck eye roast. Bottom round and rump roast are also recommended for pot roast. Besides choosing the right cut, a few steps ensure a juicy, flavorful pot roast:

Searing browns the meat well; a good crusty exterior creates flavors that spread throughout the dish.

Use a covered pot that will hold the meat snugly, so that liquid will come halfway up the sides and the top half of the roast will be bathed in steam as it cooks.

Cook the roast a day ahead. All braises and stews taste better the second day, and chilling allows you to skim off excess fat before reheating.

Why do recipes tell you to let meat rest before you cut it?
As a roast cooks, external heat drives its juices toward the center. Once the meat comes out of the oven and cools slightly, the juices are reabsorbed and redistributed, so they won't run out as freely when you carve.