Grades of Beef

June 4, 2008

Quality grades for beef were established in 1927 to create uniform standards by which to judge meat. These grades measure the overall flavor, tenderness, and juiciness of the meat based its age, marbling, color and texture.

The USDA grades are:

• Prime – Prime beef is the best quality, with only about 2% being graded so. It has heavy marbling (intramuscular fat) at above 8% and a thick layer of firm fat. It is the most expensive cut, but it will also give you the best flavor in a steak.

• Choice – Choice is a step below prime. It has good marbling (4-8%) and flavor, but is chewier than Prime because Choice is aged less. Choice beef will work well for almost anything.

• Select – Select beef has significantly less marbling (3-4%) than Choice or Prime and is a tougher, less flavorful meat. Use Select beef for recipes that you know can take a tougher, less flavorful meat (usually with moist cooking techniques).

• Standard and Commercial- A step below select, these are sold as ungraded or “store brand” meat (link to government’s explanation).
• Utility, Cutter, and Canner – These bottom three grades are used for ground and processed meats.
• No-Roll – No-roll beef is non-graded, but is usually considered to be Select if it were.

(Click here for good pictures of the cuts – I don’t want to steal them, but I’ll take my own the next time I buy beef.)

The three you want to look for are Prime, Choice and Select, with the first two being the best for cooking. Select has its uses (as said previously, in moist cooking techniques, my experience with it is limited), but for simple steaks, stick with Prime or Choice.

The last thing you might need to know is the yield grade. This is a second grading system from 1-5 usually used when purchasing large primal cuts of beef. It tells you how much of the cut can be cooked and eaten, with 1 providing the highest yield and 5 the least.

Also, check out The Art of the Pig if you have more butchering desires or want to see some cool charcuterie pictures.

Posted in Food Profiles, Stocking the Kitchen |