It's grilling season, the time of year when it's OK to cheap out on our guests. Yep, you read that right. There's not much better than throwing a budget-friendly cut of meat on the grill and then sitting down to an incredible dinner redolent of smoke and savory meat juices.

And yes, we say this because we know everyone's keeping an eye on their budgets these days, but we'd also argue that some of the cheapest cuts happen to be the best suited for grilling, too. Take the humble chicken thigh, which promises not to dry out in the dry heat of the grill the way the more delicate white meat would (and oh, that char-crisped skin). Or the tri-tip, once an unheard-of cut outside of California that's beginning to gain popularity nationwide. Flank steak, skirt steak, pork chops... and the list goes on.

These are the underrated cuts, the ones that might have a higher fat content, or are shaped a little weird, but those are the same things that bring out flavor and are (almost) foolproof to cook. So, no shame — go pick up one of these cheap cuts for dinner tonight! You can upgrade your beer or wine with the savings.

The first cut up: flank steak. And this is such a simple recipe to get you started. The subtly Southwestern combination of chili powder, cumin and lime zest penetrates deeply into the meat, and the brown sugar encourages those irresistible caramelized edges. This is a real multi-purpose steak; slice it on top of a salad, roll it into tortillas, eat with a baked potato and greens, or a corn salad, as pictured here. The options are endless.

Flat-iron steak is the cheapest way we know of approaching the filet mignon experience. The cut comes from the shoulder and is, unlike the filet, well marbled (= incredible beefy flavor) and like the filet, so tender. It needs little to accompany it, but a bright and salty herb and caper sauce brings a lot of fresh contrast.

This preparation is so simple, yet so perfect. Soy in the marinade ensures that it penetrates deeply, and carries the flavors of the garlic, beer and citrus, too. The steak is ready to go when you are, whether that's after an hour of marination, or at the end of the day after having marinated since morning, or even the next day. When you grill it, dinner is only 8 minutes away. Incredible.

Okay, let's just get the awkward truth out of the way: This is a weird-shaped cut. But the reward for those who proceed undaunted is such a juicy and satisfying steak. All you have to know is that when you're ready to carve, cut those two uneven sides apart right where they naturally divide, then slice each section against the grain. Boom. This marinade brings that deep tannic effect of red wine. Be sure to have a bottle of red to serve with it.

There's always the danger of drying out pork chops on the grill, but Sunny Anderson brings an easy fix: brining. This brine adds acid, sweetness and heat. We love these chops with potato salad and a peppery arugula salad as well.

It's not that "country-style ribs" is a misnomer — but you won't be gnawing off the bone here. These are not ribs as you know them, but rather meat from the shoulder end of the pork loin. This marinade complements the pork so well — and this cut has so much deep pork flavor.

Michael Symon, no stranger to the "grill everything" lifestyle, gives a master class, here, for the best way to cook thighs on the grill, combining direct and indirect heat for perfectly cooked, juicy meat and charred, crisp skin. Sure, you could combine this with a store-bought barbecue sauce, but his homemade blackberry barbecue sauce is so elegant and seasonal. If you find a bumper crop of the berries at the farmers market, take it from us and make a double batch, because you'll be sorry when it's gone.

Flank steak is a very lean cut, which means it does well with marination and quick-cooking. This recipe seasons it with fresh ginger, honey, garlic, lime juice and sesame oil, for a steak that easily pairs with anything Asian but also stands in just fine with Mediterranean or American classic sides. Try it with rice, baked potatoes, French bread —truly, whatever.

Do we really need to convince you that fajitas bring a smile to everyone's face? Skirt steak is the traditional meat for these, and with good reason: They're pretty fatty and have a unique cut that, once sliced, is so tender and flavorful. They taste so good with a deep char and are almost impossible to overcook, due to that fat content; but we love some pink in there, so it's really a win, whatever happens.

This recipe uses a one-two punch of pork chop strategies. The mustard and apple juice marinade starts with flavors that already have an affinity for pork. Chutney, a sweet-and-sour sauce that goes well with all meats, is particularly good with pork. Here, it's a mango and apple chutney that echoes some of the ingredients from the marinade — perfection.

The smartest strategy for dinner, when you're grilling, is to figure out how many more elements of the dinner can go on the grill alongside (your dishwasher will thank you, even more so if that dishwasher is you). Here, meaty whole mushrooms and bell peppers accompany this tender steak, so you've got your veggie side sorted. Toss up a green salad and get a loaf of sourdough and you're ready.

Whether we're talking roast chicken or here, grilled chicken, you can hardly go wrong with lemon and herbs to season it. Here, Anne Burrell brings this simplicity to grilled chicken thighs. Go ahead and throw some lemons on the grill, too, then squeeze their juice over the top and/or serve them together with the chicken. The presentation is so elegant and the flavor is very satisfying.

If we lived our ideal imaginary life, you'd always find a jar of homemade chimichurri in the fridge. This sauce, dreamt up by the gaucho cowboys of Argentina and Uruguay, might be the perfect condiment for steak — no surprise, since these are some of the beefiest places on earth. You barely even need to think of seasoning for steak when you have chimichurri on hand (okay, maybe we're exaggerating for effect) but Tyler Florence's move to also grill some onions while you're grilling the steak is that of a real pro.

You'll love the peach-mustard barbecue sauce here, ideally callibrated to be the best friend of the pork chop. It's saucy and sticky and has little mustard seeds that burst when you bite into them. The effect makes the chops taste like the juiciest things you've ever had.

Brace yourself for this life-changing revelation: You can put breaded meat on a grill. Here, breadcrumbs bring that same crunch you know from tenders to juicy meat that also picks up those grill flavors (just be sure to generously oil the grill grates, to prevent the breading from sticking and peeling off the meat). Here, grilled tomato halves add a ton of umami to the whole plate of food.

Flat-iron steaks have such a good tenderness, but that doesn't mean a nice sweet-and-savory glaze won't up their flavor. Think of the potatoes as a sort of hot grilled potato salad. You par-boil them first to make sure they'll cook all the way through, then grill them until they pick up grill marks and crispy edges. Toss them in a chivey vinegar mixture, and they will really complement the meat.

Here's a weeknight winner, even for those late-season little league game days. The steak gets a quick marinade that includes yogurt, which really holds those signature spices. Serve in grilled pita for the quickest, most filling dinner.

It's true, that a perfectly seasoned and perfectly grilled steak needs little else. But if you want to boost that up a notch, you might add a slab of butter over top to melt into all its charred crags. And if you want to boost from there, you'd do well to make it a seasoned compound butter. This one gains a nutty richness from pistachios, and it sure does go well with the steak.

If you're a satay fan, start your chicken thigh journey here. We've got that unmistakeable flavor profile of peanut, cilantro, lime and chile paste, along with a pretty stripped-down method for grilling the thighs. The result is moist, meaty meat, crispy skin and a sauce that you will want to slather on everything.