The loin cut in a pig is the leanest, most tender section of the animal and needs to be cooked properly, as overcooking will cause it to dry out quickly. A whole pork loin without the bones will weigh somewhere between 6 and 8 pounds. and will be able to feed upwards of 10 people.

A petite filet of beef is typically between 4 and 6 oz. of steak cut from the center of the tenderloin. Many people consider it to be the most tender cut of steak, and the petite portion makes it a more waistline-friendly red meat option.

The bottom rump roast is a cut of beef that comes from the back leg muscle of a cow. This cut of meat is lean with little to no marbling and can be a tough piece of meat if not prepared correctly.

Baking pork is a healthy way to prepare the meat without messing with popping grease in a skillet or heating a grill. When prepared properly in the oven, pork chops come out moist and flavorful, making them the focal point of the meal.

Marlin is warm water ocean fish that is a good source of protein, vitamin B12, niacin, potassium and phosphorus. As a semi-fatty species, marlin stores fat only in parts of its body and its total fat content of between 2 and 10 percent is lower than that of fattier species such as herring or mackerel.

Frying bacon on the stove top yields crunchy bacon, but it can also result in a greasy mess all over your kitchen. By slow cooking bacon in the oven, you can not only keep the splattering bacon grease contained, but you can also cook perfectly crisp bacon with minimal effort.

Ground beef is a freezer staple, especially if you're following a low-carbohydrate diet such as Atkins or Paleo -- or you have a big family. Grass-fed ground beef contains less fat overall and a smaller amount of saturated fat; additionally, it has more healthy omega-3 fats and Vitamin E.

Even a very hot cast iron skillet or griddle cannot replicate a charcoal grilled steak, and most broilers made for home use cannot approach the temperatures of their commercial cousins.

The USDA recommends cooking any beef to a minimum temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit to kill food-borne bacteria, which can multiply rapidly at warm temperatures below this point. However, some beef enthusiasts think this is too much and that 130 degrees Fahrenheit is best for medium-rare beef.

The pork butt steak is taken from the Boston butt area of the pig, which is on the front shoulder. In a 250 lb. pig, 8 percent, or 14.7 pounds, will typically be Boston butt, and 4.4 pounds of this will be blade steaks, also called pork butt steak. This is a thin steak, often cut about 1-inch thick.

A slow cooker is a convenient way to cook a beef roast. You put all the ingredients in the cooker and the roast cooks all day while you do other things. The long, slow cooking time tenderizes tougher cuts of meat, allowing you to enjoy leaner, less-expensive roasts such as the chuck or shoulder.

Kielbasa, or Polish sausage, has a satisfyingly garlicky flavor and a coarse texture. You'll find it made with ground pork, but some versions also contain ground beef or turkey, and seasoned with garlic, smoke flavoring and marjoram.