When buying good quality beef, you should look for a good outer covering of fat. which should be creamy to pale yellow and of a firm texture. The bones should be shiny amd pinkish. There should be little or no gristle; on steaks, for example, a thick and fiberous strip of gristle funning between the fat and lean layers would suggest an old and tough piece of meat.

If meat has been hung properly, the meat will be a plum-red colour and slighly moist. Very bright red meat suggests that the meat has not been hung for sufficient time and will probably be quite tough.

The cheaper cuts of meat are as nutritious as the more expensive ones, however, they will take longer to prepare and cook.