Americans have a love affair with beef. In 2007 alone, we downed 28.1 billion pounds of it—despite a bevy of studies reporting that too much red meat is unhealthy and can lead to heart disease. While there is evidence that eschewing beef altogether is best for optimum health, most of us aren’t quite ready to take that step. Luckily, when eaten in moderation, beef is still a good source of protein, zinc, vitamins B6 and B12, niacin, and iron.

Perfect Timing
Using a meat thermometer is a good way to gauge how done your meat is.
Very rare: 130 degrees
Rare: 140 degrees
Medium rare: 145 degrees
Medium: 160 degrees
Well done: 170 degrees
Very well done: 180 degrees

But moderation is another issue: Though the recommended serving size for meat is 3 ounces—the size and thickness of a deck of cards—the typical restaurant burger ranges from a half pound (8 ounces) to a pound or more. In other words, there’s a problem of proportion. “Beef isn’t supposed to be the only thing you’re eating,” says Aliza Green, chef and author of Field Guide to Meat. “The beef is there to give flavor. It’s on the kabob, but onions and peppers are there, too. It’s in the stir-fry, but you have bok choy and snow peas.”

If you’re going to indulge, you might as well make sure you’re digging your fork into the best beef you can afford. Several factors—including the cut, cooking method, and type of beef—affect how juicy, tender, and flavorful your meal will be.

Read on to find out how to pick and prepare the best beef.