Know your beef

Any serious cook should now his or her way around the animal you are cooking. Since we will be eating a lot of beef it is wise to get acquainted with this yummy animal. As a rule of thumb the parts of the animal that do the least amount of work are the most tender and do well with quick dry cooking at high heats such as grilling or pan searing. the cuts that do the most amount of work are the toughest and do well in braises or soups or moist, long cooking at lower heat.

For more details:

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/beefcuts.htm