Cuts of Beef

The first step in mastering the art of grilling a steak is to pick the right one—and to understand its cooking properties. Rib steak (or rib eye) and filet mignon, for example, are the most tender, requiring little more than a hot fire and a reasonable sense of cooking time to produce meat that’s tender enough to cut with the proverbial side of a fork. Flank steaks and skirt steaks are tough fibrous cuts, but when thinly sliced across the grain, they reward you with a rich flavor and as much tenderness as anyone could wish for. Here’s a field guide to the players.