Just as important as selecting the right recipe is knowing how to choose the leanest cuts and how to buy, store and cook beef. Read on to learn how.

Go lean

To prepare the healthiest beef dishes for your family, buy lean cuts such as eye of the round, top-round steak, top-round roast, sirloin steak, top-loin steak, tenderloin steak, flank steak and check arm pot roast. Need a cheat sheet? Look for cuts that are:

• A rich, red color
• Free of heavy fat marbling
• Labeled with words like “loin,” “round” or “extra-lean.”

If you eat no more than three ounces – the size of a deck of cards – you'll be getting a mere 200 calories and nine grams of fat or less. Nice!

How to buy and store beef

Beef, and particularly ground beef, can contain harmful bacteria. To reduce your risk of foodborne illness, select fresh, cold-to-the-touch beef before its expiration date, and place it in a plastic bag so it doesn't contaminate your other grocery items. At home, freeze or cook ground beef within two days of purchase and other cuts within three to five days. Precooked or take-out beef, meanwhile, should be hot and eaten within two hours of purchase or refrigerated or frozen. Cooked beef alone will keep for three to five days in the fridge and up to 12 months in the freezer, while beef casseroles and stews are best eaten after no more than four days in the fridge and three months in the freezer.

How to prepare beef

For maximum safety, defrost beef in the refrigerator. Dishes or cutting boards used to marinate, chop or prepare raw beef should be kept separate and not used for any other foods. (There's no need to wash raw beef, by the way, because proper cooking will destroy any bacteria.) Marinating beef can be refrigerated for up to five days, with the uncooked marinade thrown out immediately afterwards.

How to cook different cuts of beef

The only safe way to ensure that beef is properly cooked is to use a meat thermometer. Ground beef should reach 160 degrees F, while steaks and roasts need to get to a medium-rare minimum of 145  degrees F. To maximize flavor and tenderness, roast or simmer tougher chuck and round cuts of beef, and broil or grill beef loins or ribs.

Now that you know how to shop for, prepare and cook beef, it's time to choose a recipe that's right for your family. Consider chili, easy beef favorites like Shepherd's Pie, burgers and sloppy Joes, beef stew, Mexican beef dishes and steak recipes. 

More! Check out our chicken tips for information on preparing chicken safely.