The Right Cuts: For steak, burgers, and sausages, use meat that’s not too thick and not too thin: Think 1 inch. This thickness allows the meat to cook through without becoming charred, says Elizabeth Karmel, the founder of www.girlsatthegrill.com and the author of Taming the Flame (Wiley, $25, www.amazon.com).

The Easiest Technique: Cook with both direct and indirect heat. If you have a gas grill, turn one burner on medium (direct heat) and another on low (indirect heat). With charcoal, pile smoldering coals at the ends of the grill (direct) and arrange a single layer of coals in the middle (indirect). To impart those classic grill marks, place the steak or burgers over direct heat first, then transfer them to indirect heat, where they can finish cooking. Cook sausages entirely over indirect heat. Whatever you cook, keep the lid closed and don’t turn the meat obsessively — once is enough. (For cooking times, see Grilling Cheat Sheet.)

Buying Tips

Steak: New York strip and sirloin are terrific boneless options; you can also use bone-in steaks like T-bone and porterhouse. If you don’t see packages of 1-inch-thick steaks, ask the butcher to cut them for you.

Sausage: The expanding array of chicken and turkey links means lots of choices, but these tend to dry out more quickly. If you’d rather not pay close attention to the grill, stick with classic, low-maintenance pork.

Hamburgers:Because fat equals flavor, the best burgers come from the cheapest ground beef. Try 80 percent lean; or, for a slightly leaner patty, Karmel suggests asking the butcher to grind equal parts chuck and sirloin.

Cooking Tips

Consider flank steak if, like a short-order cook, you have requests ranging from medium-rare to well-done. This large cut has a thicker center and tapered ends, Karmel explains. When the middle is medium-rare, the ends will be well-done.

Prevent a burger from bulging by making an indentation in the center with your thumb, says Karmel. It will fill out on the grill.

To prick or not to prick the sausages? Not to prick. If you keep sausages over moderate heat, the casings won’t split.