To pick the best beef tenderloin, especially the packaged kind found in the meat aisle at the supermarket, start by choosing a package with a USDA Prime grade sticker on it.

USDA Prime tenderloins come almost exclusively from young, well-fed cattle, giving them beautiful marbling that melts down when cooked to create a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

A whole tenderloin can comfortably feed around eight to twelve people, but if you have a small gathering or plan to make a tenderloin steak, it's better to have it broken down.

A beef tenderloin can be broken down into three major parts. First is the head, which comes from the rear of the cattle and can be cubed or diced for kebabs or stew.

The center-cut, also known as chateaubriand, is the stretch of juicy meat between the head and the tail. You can roast it or turn it into steak.

At the other end of the tenderloin is the tail, which is closer to the neck of the cattle. Thinner and smaller than the head, it is used for making filet medallions.

Tenderloin is sold either trimmed or untrimmed. Untrimmed is cheaper and means you get all the fat and silver skin, while trimmed versions come with these parts already removed.

For a dinner party with around six people (including yourself,) aim to buy around 2 ¼ to 3 pounds of tenderloin. That should give everyone a few nice, thick slices.