Book excerpt: “Grass-fed.” “Organic.” “Natural.” “Pastured.” “Raised Without Antibiotics.” “Heirloom Breed.” Meat has never been better, but the vast array of labels at today’s meat counter can overwhelm even the savviest shopper. Which are worth the price? Which are meaningless? Bruce Aidells, America’s foremost meat expert and the founder of Aidells Sausage Company, makes sense of the confusion and helps you choose the best steaks, chops, roasts, and ribs and match them to the right preparation method. The definitive book for our time, The Great Meat Cookbook includes • hundreds of extraordinary recipes, from such “Great Meat Dishes of the World” as Whole Beef Fillet Stuffed with Prosciutto and Parmigiano-Reggiano to economical dishes that use small amounts of meat, like Thai Pork Salad, to American classics like Steak House Grilled Rib Eye • handy recipe tags like “Fit for Company,” “In a Hurry,” and “Great Leftovers” that help you match each dish to the occasion • at-a-glance guides to all the major cuts, with a full-color photo of each • recipes for handcrafted sausages, pâtés, confits, and hams • recipes for newly popular meats like bison, goat, heirloom pork, and grass-fed beef, veal, and lamb • recipes for underappreciated parts that make delicious dishes without breaking the bank With straight talk and an affable voice, Aidells provides every single bit of information you need to get comfortable in the kitchen, from which thermometers are the most reliable, to instructions for thawing frozen meat from the farmers’ market, to tips that will make you a grill and barbecue pro.