The most important part of grilling is the skillful preparation of the meats, cooking equipment, and presentation. I begin always by doing nothing. I simply wait until I get a real down–to–earth hankering for a chuck of delicious meat. When I decide what I’m ready for, I go shopping.

Shopping for meats can be a lot of fun, or a huge headache. For the sake of making things easier, I’ve compiled a simple guide to purchasing meats that you may wish to review. I carefully select my meat and an assortment of vegetables, and purchase any other items necessary, such as propane for the grill, or briquets.

Once all the materials are gathered, it is time to prepare your meat. In general, meat is best grilled after some process of tenderizing. Some meats may come already tenderized, but for a softer textured meal, additional tenderizing won't hurt. One good way to tenderize your meat is by simply hitting it repeatedly with a meat tenderizer. You may also try a brine solution (roughly 15%-20% sea salt and the remainder cool water) which will not only give a unique flavor, but make the meat retain water more easily. Perhaps the most popular method out there is known as marinating.

Marinating meat can not only provide the desired texture, but embed flavors and seasonings that bring the taste of the meal to a whole new level. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of great seasoning blends for marinating, and it's up to you to decide which flavor to use. If in doubt, keep the flavor simple, such as montreal, teriyaki, or just a flavoring such as worchestershire sauce or steak sauce.

Good meals always begin with a good idea.

Brine is a good way to tenderize.