USDA Blog » What’s Your Beef – Prime, Choice or Select? What’s Your Beef – Prime, Choice or Select? Posted by Larry Meadows, Director, AMS Livestock, Poultry and Seed Program Grading and Verification Division , on January 28, 2013 at 1:49 PM Infographic (click to see larger version) outlining the differences between USDA’s beef grades. The USDA grade shields are highly regarded as symbols of safe, high-quality American beef. Quality grades are widely used as a “language” within the beef industry, making business transactions easier and providing a vital link to support rural America. Consumers, as well as those involved in the marketing of agricultural products, benefit from the greater efficiency permitted by the availability and application of grade standards. Beef is evaluated by highly-skilled USDA meat graders using a subjective characteristic assessment process and electronic instruments to measure meat characteristics. These characteristics follow the official grade standards developed, maintained and interpreted by the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service . Beef is graded in two ways: quality grades for tenderness, juiciness and flavor; and yield grades for the amount of usable lean meat on the carcass. From a consumer standpoint, what do these quality beef grades mean?

Prime beef is produced from young, well-fed beef cattle. It has abundant marbling (the amount of fat interspersed with lean meat), and is generally sold in restaurants and hotels. Prime roasts and steaks are excellent for dry-heat cooking such as broiling, roasting or grilling. Choice beef is high quality, but has less marbling than Prime. Choice roasts and steaks from the loin and rib will be very tender, juicy, and flavorful and are suited for dry-heat cooking. Many of the less tender cuts can also be cooked with dry heat if not overcooked. Such cuts will be most tender if braised, roasted or simmered with a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered pan. Select beef is very uniform in quality and normally leaner than the higher grades. It is fairly tender, but, because it has less marbling, it may lack some of the juiciness and flavor of the higher grades. Only the tender cuts should be cooked with dry heat. Other cuts should be marinated before cooking or braised to obtain maximum tenderness and flavor. Standard and Commercial grades of beef are frequently sold as ungraded or as store brand meat.

Utility, Cutter, and Canner grades of beef are seldom, if ever, sold at retail but are used instead to make ground beef and processed products. Recently, USDA collaborated with the United States Meat Export Federation and Colorado State University to develop an educational video about the beef grading process . This video provides a comprehensive overview of the beef grading system – from farm to table. So next time you are at a restaurant or grocery store, look for the USDA grade shield and you will better be able to answer the question, “What’s your beef?” Related Posts very interesting and informative article. thanks. Jerry Cunningham 01/29/2013 at 8:16 AM Here is what is left out of this front piece for the status quo of beef production. In addition to more “marbling” i.e., fat – these animals are dosed with antibiotics to keep their failing livers from killing them before slaughter. 80% of all the pharmaceuticals sold in the US goes into farm animals. BigPharma has you in it’s grip. Beef cattle are herbivores, fitted by Nature to eat grass. But BigAg wants to feed the world the same diet that is killing Americans with Heart Disease and Diabetes, and etc.

Come clean USDA! Our beef production system is an anachronism. Up to 30% of all corn produced is fed to these animals. We don’t have a Farm Policy, we have a Money Policy for the benefit of the Chemical Pharmaceutical cabal that owns the USDA and the FDA and your legislators. How long will you stand for this atrocity America? Josie 01/29/2013 at 10:20 AM Pictures would be great here! Perhaps a few of the standard cuts and what it looks like on the shelf. I have to explain “marbling” every once in a while, it might be great to have some exaples. Also, there is often a difference between a cut of meat that has a lot of fat on it, vs a cut that has a lot of marbling. Loretta Al-Uqdah 01/29/2013 at 12:29 PM I agree with Jerry. Cows are suppose to graze on grass not but forced fed with corn. It’s unnatural so the corn makes the cattle weigh more. The fill them with anti-bodies and that goes into our bodies when we eat the meat.

All of this in the name of money. It’s a shame. We turn our back on the natural way things should be done in the name of money. It’s a crying shame. Let’s start caring about the health of the people. America is at the bottom of the list of the top 20 richest countries and we have the shortest life span. This tell us all something. stan Capitalism will always win in America until we the people stand up against those in power who make the rules. Patrick 02/01/2013 at 9:20 AM To Loretta and Jerry—the FDA as well as most Gvt agencies cannot come clean! They are too deeply imbedded in the crime! Only the voter and the consumer can come clean! If you don’t like second hand hormones buy hormone free food. Grass fed beef is available, buy it! And for goodness sake stop voting for politicians who have sold out to industry. Above all stop complaining, act! Christopher 02/02/2013 at 10:48 AM Jerry – the only conspiracy involved in “finishing” cattle with corn is the conspiracy of consumer preference.

People don’t like the flavor and quality of grass-fed beef. Well-marbled beef is more flavorful and tender, and well-marbled beef is grain-fed beef. That’s what consumers prefer. You can complain all you like about consumer preference (and you may be right about it), but there is no evil plot on the part of the USDA or “Big Ag”. They are just selling people what they want. Loretta Al-Uqdah 02/04/2013 at 11:38 AM Thanks Pantrick, you’re partially right. We all have to work to make our government responsible but we can’t do it by ourselves. Personally I try to make responsible choice for myself and my family. At the same time we should make others aware of the problem too. Yes we should vote for politicians that are sensitive and responsive to our concerns. The problem is you need a magnifying glass to find them. Steve 03/22/2013 at 4:16 PM Anymore, it is getting harder and harder to find USDA ‘Choice’ meat sold in supermarket chains in Southern California.

Most of what is offered is ‘Select’ which is the least tasty and much tougher to cut and digest than choice or prime. It is less expensive, I understand that, but I won’t buy it anyway. Am eating more poultry and pork these days. JT 11/24/2013 at 8:12 PM Cut me off another slice of yet another conspiracy theory! Here’s a thought, if you don’t like it DON’T EAT IT! I will eat steak and drink Crown until they throw dirt in my face. And when they do it will be with one big smile! While you guys are out there looking for the second gunman on the grassy knoll, trying to find Jimmy Hoffa, UFO’s and proof that Bigfoot exists, I’ll be out there enjoying my life. The funny thing is all the people out there complaining about EVERYTHING are the very ones pumping out children left and right. Man get a life and enjoy what time you have. Linda 11/27/2013 at 2:38 AM Sorry, but your big Ag and big Pharma tales just do not occur.

I was raised on a Kansas cattle ranch which was homesteaded by my great great grandparents in 1859. We pretty much ran things the same way they did way back then. Cattle graze on grass in the summer with fodder and corn chop fed in the winter when the grass dies back and the snows come. Yes, they get antibiotics, but only if sick and vet prescribed. Last 100-150 lbs of growth they are fed grain to fatten- reason the public wants flavor and marbling so the meat is tender. The public will not eat shoe leather which is what you get feeding only grass. Those who complain about grain fed beef know nothing of cattle and even less of consumer likes and demands. jamedl If a grocery store sells choice beef, are they required to include the choice sticker in the packaging? David Wolkle 06/17/2014 at 2:08 AM When I worked in Armour’s South St. Paul, Mn. slaughter house in 1969 the meat was sold as Select, Choice, Prime and Hotel Cuts. Is Hotel Cuts a grade or something else? It wasn’t for sale then nor now.

Hotel Cuts always sold right away and the other grades price was reduced as days in the cooler increased until such time (7 days I think) as it had to be frozen. Is Hotel cuts a grade or just a way separate the best for pricing, and how do I get Hotel Cuts? I can’t find it in stores or the few remaining butchers available to the public. jerry If you do not like do not buy it, stop whining. Ben [USDA Moderator] 07/14/2014 at 3:13 PM @Rhys, thanks for your question about grade labels. If a product is graded, advertised, and sold as USDA Prime, the packaged product or box must be labeled as such. In addition to the grade or grade shield, the product will also bear the USDA inspected and passed round shaped logo with the processing plant number inside. Ben [USDA Moderator] 07/14/2014 at 3:13 PM @John, thanks for your interest in grading. If the meat case, or product is not marked with a USDA grade, then the product has not been graded or is being advertised and sold without a grade.

Grading, unlike USDA safety inspections, is a voluntary service; however, if a grade is advertised and sold the product must be of that grade. Ben [USDA Moderator] If you saw a package of “FS” ribeye steaks….what would that mean to you? Also does all meat sold in stores require usda inspection and stamping? Ben [USDA Moderator] 07/31/2014 at 4:40 PM Hi Bob – thanks for submitting questions. FS is not a common meat industry abbreviation; however, it might mean Full Service, in that it was designated to be sold through the full service (cut & wrap) section of the retail butcher shop. All meat sold at retail is required by regulation to meet USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service wholesome and safety requirements and be processed in approved U.S. establishments under strict sanitation requirements. All packages of meat must bear the round USDA Inspected and Passed label which has the plant number inside the logo. USDA grading, such as Prime Choice, and Select, is a voluntary service used to designate differences in palatability, juiciness, tenderness, and flavor.

Jesse Springer 08/06/2014 at 12:30 PM Question for the USDA moderator: If I buy a cry-o-vac “primal cut” and it is advertised as “choice”, does it need the USDA shield on the packaging? I purchase such cuts at area warehouse stores, mostly packed by Excel or Swift. Sometimes, the processing companies packaging will merely state “USDA inspected”, but the store-applied price tag will say “choice”. I have been emailing Excel’s customer service, but not gotten a clear response. C. R. Stucki 08/11/2014 at 7:31 AM I was recently served “Bacon Wrapped Tenderloin Steak” purchased at a warehouse supermarket. They were vacuum packed, 1 in. thick, and cost $9/lb. I could find no USDA grading label on the packaging. We grilled them to the “Medium Rare” temp on an instant-read thermometer. The meat was so damn tough, they were all but inedible. Being almost 80 yrs old, I well remember when ANYTHING in the store labeled “tenderloin was ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ tender.

What has happened to the beef industry? Ben [USDA Moderator] 08/12/2014 at 3:58 PM @C.R. – thanks for the question. USDA grades such as Prime, Choice, and Select are produced from animals normally 18 – 30 months of age and can be used as indicators of tenderness, juiciness, flavor and palatability. Since there was no grade on the package, the product you purchased was most likely not graded. Some high value case ready packaged cuts such as the tenderloin (filet) from older ungraded animals are used to meet certain consumer preferred price points. As animals age muscle fibers restrict and become more tough, thus cuts from these animals may need to be marinated longer or cooked using low heat to achieve desired tenderness. Doug Noble I bought a New York steak from our local market (Safeway). it says, “USDA certified Tender” on the shield. that is not a grade. What is it?

MW Miller 09/21/2014 at 9:52 PM I recently bought NY strips steaks at a local Washington, DC grocery chain that labels certain meats “Butcher Shop -USDA graded” but the actual grade of beef never is specified anywhere on the package. Do USDA grading & labeling regs allow the chain to escape specifying the exact grade they are selling? Joanne J Stevenson 09/30/2014 at 5:37 PM Recently the local market (Martins/Giant) is selling beef under the name “Butcher Shop”. It says USDA and is not graded or give the origin (country). The guy in the meat dept. says they are no longer required to rate. To me that means it must be sub grade of the beef. Jack Straw 11/12/2014 at 2:06 PM Lately, here in Louisiana, one large grocery chain is selling “Texas Star Beef”, with no mention of grade. Their web site sez, “A blend of USDA Quality Grades, with a marbling score of Traces 50 – Slight 99″ What grade is this meat equivalent to?

Susan Raabe 01/01/2015 at 9:47 PM I have been reading all the entries, and have come to the conclusion that it’s very difficult to know exactly what I’m buying. After reading an ad for grass fed beef (after seeing someone on Shark Tank hawking his meat company) I decided to investigate what is fed and added to cattle. I wrote to a company who sells beef and ships it frozen, and received a pretty generic reply. The meat is expensive, and tastes great, but like many consumers these days, I’m concerned about unnecessary antibiotics and hormones added to cattle feed. Their response was that the USDA and FDA have determined that hormones are not harmful to humans. They didn’t comment on the antibiotics. As for grading, they stated that they only do business with reputable cattle growers, and that their beef is extremely high quality. Since they charge a premium for their product, how do I know if I’m getting an equally high quality product? Can I assume that since it’s tender and tastes good, that it’s worth the money? It seems like there are quite a few variables to consider!

Any comments from the USDA would be appreciated, and help me figure out to get what I expect for my money. JR MODERATOR: Please confirm or correct the following numbered points. From what I have read it seems the following is true: 1A. Meat sold in the United States **MUST** always have the USDA Inspected “circular” stamp with a plant id number inside. 1B. BUT… I am not sure if that stamp has to be on the final “shrink wrapped” meat sold to the consumer or only on the bulk meat when it sold to the butcher. 2A. Butchers may **OPTIONALLY** use the USDA defined grades and if they do so (correctly) then they can label the meat with the appropriate USDA “shield” stickers. Any other meat grading system is not controlled by the USDA. 2B. BUT… nobody forces butchers/meat sellers to use **ANY** specific grading system and use of the plain (stand alone) words “select”, “choice”, or “prime” is not the same as the phrases “USDA Choice”, “USDA Select” or “USDA Prime”. Is all of that correct?

Speedstan 01/18/2015 at 1:22 PM Have to agree with Patrick here. Regardless of one’s personal opinion on the subject, cattle farmers raise, and meat packers sell, what people will buy. If people are so worked up about corn-fed beef, they should start demanding (and be willing to pay for) grass-fed beef at restaurants and supermarkets. Capitalism does work – even fast food places such as Carls Jr are introducing grass-fed beef burgers in markets where they think people will note (and pay for) the difference. Ben [USDA Moderator] 01/20/2015 at 12:33 PM @JR – thank you for asking. Please see answers to your questions. 1A. The circular stamp with a plant I.D number, or Establishment Number, is the USDA Mark of Inspection. With a few exceptions, meat sold in interstate commerce will bear this symbol, indicating that it was produced at a federally inspected meat facility. You may also see meat packages with a state mark of inspection or the mark of inspection for an approved equivalent system from another country.

As noted below, meat repackaged and sold by a grocery or butcher shop will not always include a mark of inspection. 1B. A mark of inspection will not always appear on product sold at retail if it is further processed. For instance, beef processed and labeled at a Federal establishment will bear the USDA mark of inspection and establishment number when it is sent to a grocery or butcher shop. If the retailer further processes (e.g., grinds or trims) and repackages the product, the repackaged product would no longer bear the USDA mark of inspection. 2A. Correct. If a product is not marked with a USDA grade, then the product has not been graded or is being advertised and sold without a grade. Grading, unlike USDA safety inspections, is a voluntary service; however, if a US or USDA grade is advertised and sold the product must be of that grade. 2B. Again, grading, unlike USDA safety inspections, is a voluntary service; however, if a US or USDA grade is advertised or enclosed within a shield, the product must be of that grade.

For more information on grade labeling: Charlie 06/09/2015 at 4:48 PM I just went to the local grocery/meat market and bought a whole ribeye USDA choice. Good corn fed beef cut 1″ thick and marinating now for a cook out tonight. Mmmmmmm! You can keep your grass fed beef or grind it up for dog food. I raised beef cattle for years and fed them corn. Eat what you want to and I will do the same. Scott 06/25/2015 at 11:36 PM The following statement from the above article is FALSE: “Prime beef is produced from young, well-fed beef cattle”. According to Hale, Et.Al., at Texas A&M, regarding USDA beef quality grades, “Because the chronological age is virtually never known, physiological maturity is used; and the indicators are bone characteristics, ossification of cartilage, color and texture of ribeye muscle.” USDA inspectors do not know, nor do they attempt to determine the age of the carcasses they are inspecting. They inspect the carcasses and determine the maturity of the carcass.

Therefore, they cannot describe the carcass as “young”, meaning “having lived only a short time”. I feel that the above description of USDA Prime as being derived from the carcasses of “young” cattle is untruthful and deceptive. It would be more accurate to state that USDA Prime comes from IMMATURE cattle. However, that would raise questions and wouldn’t be very marketable. I wonder in what other ways the USDA might be providing false information to consumers in the interest of “making business transactions easier”. Scott 06/25/2015 at 11:59 PM For what it’s worth, I did buy a USDA Prime NY Strip steak from my local grocer earlier this evening. To me, it was noticeably tastier, with a finer texture than the USDA Choice steaks I usually buy. So, while it would seem that the USDA beef grading system is effective, to ensure qualities of flavor and texture, I do wish that more would be done to ensure methods used to produce the beef. Like many consumers, I am more concerned with HOW my food is produced, than by HOW it tastes and feels in my mouth. Deb I bought a roast yesterday, with a USDA sticker marked ‘usda choice’.

There was another sticker on the package that said ‘prime meat’. What should I take that to mean? Frank 07/02/2015 at 1:25 AM All you conspiracy theorists are missing the mark by a very long shot. Linda from Kansas is correct. Scott, your interpretation of what you read about young animals and preferring the word be changed to immature is simply STUPID. No one is deceiving you! No, the graders don’t know to the day the steers age but they do know within certain parameters the general range in age on the carcases they are grading. The grading begins on the ranch when the steers are separated prior to going to market (auction). If any of them were older than a couple years old at the most they’d be tough and hence marked down to a sub Prime grade. To say immature can only be determined by sitting down with each steer and talking with them a while to get a better feeling for their maturity level. Anyone too stupid to take the word of the experts from the literal point of conception to table needs to go to their local auction. Every town in the country has one fairly close by.

Buy yourself a calf and rent a pasture from someone there at the auction and take care of it yourself for the next 6-8 months and then butcher it yourself and send it off to be cut and wrapped. It’ll either be the greatest time of your life and very educational or it will send you screaming back to your neighborhood from where you never venture more than 3 blocks in any direction to become a life long vegan. Linda How USDA Beef is Graded | Why Prime Steaks Are So Tender and Flavorful USDA Prime Graded Beef The Most Tender & Flavorful of Steaks Anyone that has savored a USDA Prime Graded Steak knows that it is delightfully tender and juicy with a buttery flavor which makes it distinctively superior to any other steak. Of all the beef produced in the US, less than 2% is certified as USDA Prime. Typically you will not find USDA Prime in the supermarkets since its limited supply is gobbled up by fine meat purveyors that retail it to upscale restaurants and affluent consumers. How The USDA Grades Beef The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) meticulously grades beef at the request of a meat packer. Only beef that is USDA inspected may carry the USDA shield of authenticity.

The grading system determines the quality rating of beef based upon a very complicated inspection system which measures the amount of marbling (fat specs) in the ribeye muscle (lean) portion and combines the maturity (age) of the beef carcass to determine the inspected grade. The higher the ratio of marbling and the younger the beef, the higher the grade. It is the fat marbling which determines tenderness, juiciness and flavor. The age of the beef determines beef texture and also effects flavor. Younger beef produces a finer texture and a lighter red color. Therefore USDA Prime Grade has the highest rating of a combined high ratio of marbling with the youngest maturity of beef. That's why prime is the most flavorful and most tender with the finest of texture. USDA Prime, Choice and Select Grades of Beef Although there are eight levels of USGA graded beef there are generally only three USDA grades of beef that you would buy in a supermarket, a butcher shop or a restaurant. They are USDA Prime, Choice or Select which is the order of grade from the highest to lowest. Two lesser grades are Cutter and Canner which is what you would typically find in frozen pot pie dinners, microwave burritos, hamburgers and other processed food products.

USDA Select is not very far above the bottom of the edible barrel, though some major chain stores will try and infer to a consumer that Select is a premium grade that is often marketed with a "catchy brand". Beware of marketing deceptions. Some supermarkets may try to fool an unsuspecting consumer by using the words "prime" and "choice" without being attached with the official "USDA shield". Unless prime and choice carries the USDA label, what you are buying may not be the real thing. Some upscale restaurants employ clever wordsmiths to write menu copy that deceives you into thinking you are ordering a USDA Prime Steak when in reality you may be being served the less costly "Choice" version. In fairness to restaurants that serve USDA Choice Filets, it's degree of marbling could closely approach that of Prime when the measurement is very near the threshold that separates it from Prime. When shopping for quality steaks, always look for the USDA shield. When ordering a steak always ask your server what the USDA grade actually is. Often you'll hear a bit of stuttering and a quick diversion from the subject. That's a signal to become more inquisitive.

USDA Prime Steaks USDA Prime is the superior grade with amazing tenderness, juiciness, flavor and fine texture. It has the highest degree of fat marbling and is derived from the younger beef. That's why Prime is generally featured at the most exclusive upscale steakhouse restaurants. Used by permission of the USDA USDA Choice Steaks USDA Choice is the second highest graded beef. It has less fat marbling than Prime. Choice is a quality steak particularly if it is a cut that is derived from the loin and rib areas of the beef such as a tenderloin filet or rib steak. Generally USDA Choice will be less tender, juicy and flavorful with a slightly more coarse texture versus Prime. Used by permission of the USDA USDA Select Steaks USDA Select is generally the lowest grade of steak you will find at a supermarket or restaurant. You will find it tougher, less juicy and less flavorful since it is leaner than Prime and Choice with very little marbling. The texture of Select is generally more coarse. Therefore, Select is not nearly as enjoyable or desirable. Used by permission of the USDA The Finer Details of the USDA Grading System The above description of how beef is graded by the USDA is basic overview.

For more detail of exactly how a beef certifier measures marbling, maturity of the beef, the color of beef and its texture to determine an accurate USDA Grade, read the United States Standards for Grades of Carcass Beef established by the US Department of Agriculture . More information about USDA Grading of Beef America's Finest USDA Prime Steakhouse Restaurants USDA Beef Grades and How They Are Determined By Bethany Moncel Updated January 02, 2017. The beef grading system developed by the United States Department of Agriculture is a voluntary grading system based on the meat's maturity and level of fat marbling . These two factors are indicators of the beef’s tenderness. Beef that is given a higher grade is usually from younger cattle and has more fat marbling. To receive a USDA grading on beef , manufacturers must pay for a trained inspector to grade the beef at the slaughterhouse. Once the beef is graded, the manufacturer must comply with labeling requirements set by the Food Safety and Inspection Service. Consumers can find the USDA grading on the package label. There are eight grades of beef designated by the USDA, only the top five of which are usually sold to consumers. Lower grades are most often used for processing and use in canned goods.

USDA Beef Grades Here are the eight USDA grades of beef, where they are found, their uses and recommended cooking methods. U.S. Prime – This is the highest grade of beef with the most fat marbling . continue reading below our video How to Turn Leftover Summer Produce into Jam This meat is very tender and only accounts for about 2.9 percent of all graded beef. U.S. Prime is usually reserved for high-end dining establishments. Because this beef has such a high level of fat marbling, it is excellent for dry heat cooking methods. These include roasting, grilling, frying, broiling, and baking. U.S. Choice – Choice beef is widely available to consumers in supermarkets and restaurants. This beef has a good amount of fat marbling, although less than U.S. Prime. U.S. Choice accounts for roughly 50 percent of all graded beef. This beef can typically be cooked with either dry or moist heat methods without causing excessive dryness. U.S. Choice is an excellent economic alternative to U.S. Prime. You can grill, fry, roast or bake this beef as well as stew or braise it. U.S. Select – Select beef is also widely available in the retail market.

It is much more lean than U.S. Choice and tends to be less tender or juicy. U.S, Select was formerly labeled as “Good.” Due to the low fat content in this meat, it should be reserved for moist heat cooking methods to prevent drying. Moist heat methods include braising, stewing, steaming, and poaching. Cooking in a slow cooker is one example. These methods help break down tough fibers. U.S. Standard and U.S. Commercial – Standard and Commercial grades are very low in fat content and may be considerably less tender. When sold in the retail market they typically go ungraded or are labeled under the store brand name and sold for lower prices. Consider using moist heat methods to cook this beef. They are suitable for stew and slow cooker recipes that will make them less tough, but grilling or frying may result in dry and chewy meat. Utility, Cutter, and Canner Grades – These grades may be completely devoid of fat marbling or cut from older animals. These grades are typically reserved for making processed meat products and canned goods. USDA Beef Quality Grades Click on any jar below to go to that seasonings web page where you can read more about that seasoning and place your order.

Prime Steak and Beefburger Seasoning (Formerly Meyers Roast Beef Rub) is our most popular shake-on seasoning. We have a FREE PDF article on Beef Grades. To view it, just click here. If you would rather download the FREE PDF Beef Grades article and save it to your computer, just right click here. , and choose "Save Target As" You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this file. If don't have it already on your computer, you can download from the Adobe website by clicking here . Use A Steel Correctly Prime grade - is produced from young, well-fed beef cattle. Only 2% of the beef in the U.S. is graded Prime. It has abundant marbling and is generally sold in restaurants and hotels. Prime roasts and steaks are excellent for dry-heat cooking (i.e., roasting, broiling, and grilling). ï¿½ Choice grade - is high quality, but has less marbling than Prime. Choice roasts and steaks from the loin and rib will be very tender, juicy, and flavorful and are, like Prime, suited to dry-heat cooking.

Many of the less tender cuts, such as those from the rump, round, and blade chuck, can also be cooked with dry heat, but be careful not to overcook them. Using a meat thermometer takes the guesswork out of cooking and assures a safe internal temperature: 145 ï¿½ F is medium rare; 160 ï¿½ F, medium; and 170 ï¿½ F, well done. Choice Grade is also subdivided further by Yield Grades. Yield Grade 1 is the best. Yield Grade 5 is the "Least" best. ï¿½ Select grade - is very uniform in quality and normally leaner than the higher grades. It is fairly tender, but, because it has less marbling, it may lack some of the juiciness and flavor of the higher grades. Only the tender cuts (loin, rib, sirloin) should be cooked with dry heat. Other cuts should be marinated before cooking or cooked with moisture to obtain maximum tenderness and flavor. ï¿½ Standard and Commercial grades ï¿½ frequently are sold as ungraded or as "store brand" meat.

ï¿½ Utility, Cutter, and Canner grades - are seldom, if ever, sold at retail but are used instead to make ground beef and processed products. Beef Grades | Certified Angus Beef® Restaurant Beef Grades All beef is inspected for wholesomeness by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)*, and is graded for quality and consistency. You’ve heard of Prime, Choice and Select grades – and Prime tops the grading scale. Marbling plays a big role in quality grades. Marbling – the little white flecks in beef – is key to flavor. The higher the amount of marbling, the higher the quality of beef. The Certified Angus Beef ® brand is incredibly flavorful, tender and juicy because of the high amounts of marbling in every cut. Q: How is beef graded? A: Independent USDA graders inspect cattle and label them according to the grading scale: Prime, Choice, Select and several low-quality grades. Q: How is beef selected for the Certified Angus Beef ® brand? A: The same independent USDA graders inspect black-hided cattle (typical of the Angus breed) and give it a grade.

All beef considered for the brand must be the best Choice, or Prime, beef – truly the top of the scale. This top-quality Angus beef is then evaluated again, using the brand's set of 10 science-based specifications for marbling, size and uniformity. If it's good enough to make the cut, then it earns the distinctive Certified Angus Beef ® brand label. Q: What makes Certified Angus Beef ® brand Prime the ultimate beef? A: Quality, plain and simple. Only truly elite beef surpasses the USDA's stringent Prime standards, AND meets all 10 of the brand's quality specifications. Less than 1.5% of beef achieves the high standards of Certified Angus Beef ® brand Prime. And marbling is key to its incredible flavor and tenderness. How The USDA Grades Beef | Top Rated Steakhouses | Best Steak House Restaurants in America How The USDA Grades Beef Home / How The USDA Grades Beef How The USDA Grades Beef Tony Subia: December 7, 2013 USDA Beef Grading System The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) applies a meticulous, rigorous and very expert beef grading system. The grading criteria is implemented to protect the consumer as an impartial judge of beef quality.

The grading system ensures a uniform quality and a consistent benchmark of of beef marketing among beef retailers and steak restaurants. The USDA grades beef at the request of a meat packers of which there are about 35 nationwide. Grading experts are housed at those packers to ensure regulations and grading accuracy . The criteria is stringently applied to very objective specifications. Only beef that is USDA inspected may carry the authentic USDA shield of authenticity. How Beef Is Graded Beef tenderness, taste and safety are the foundations of the USDA grading system. Although the processes are somewhat complex, essentially there are two major factors that determine quality. Amount fat marbling and its distribution combined with age of the steer. Marbling (intramuscular fat) is the dispersion of fat specs within the lean portions. The degree of marbling is determined at a surface cut of the ribeye muscle between the 12th and 13h ribs. The amount and distribution of fat marbling determines levels of juiciness and flavor. The age of the beef substantially determines firmness, texture, and color of the lean portion. USDA Grades of Beef Unless the beef is certified and labeled as USDA inspected and graded, it has not been graded.

There are eight grades of beef designated by the USDA. Generally just the top five are ever sold to the consumer as cuts of beef. The three lowest grades are typically only used for processed meats, canned meats, and some frozen dinners. Retail grocers, butcher-shops and restaurants generally only sell the three highest grades of In quality order they are USDA Prime, USDA Choice, or USDA Select. The best steak houses only serve Prime and/or Choice. Select is generally the most common grade sold in grocery stores. That’s because it is cheaper, very lean, and has less fat marbling making it tougher to chew with less juiciness and flavor. If beef is not USDA labeled, then it has not been inspected and certified by the USDA. Often retailers and even restaurants will apply their own unique labels to ungraded beef.. You will often see such monickers as Award-Winning, Blue Ribbon, Premium, Black Angus and even just the words “Prime” and “Choice” absent the USDA certification which is legal. Some grocers use enticing names as deceptive practice. However, those names do not necessarily imply poor quality, but should signal suspect.

The highest (best) levels of USDA graded beef have a greater level of fat marbling within the lean muscle portions and derived from younger (2 years) steers. Degrees with grades are divided into 100 subunits and scoring is more finely discussed in tenths within each degree of marbling. Therefore there could be insignificant differences between the lowest level of USDA Prime versus the highest level of USDA Choice. The same would apply between the lowest degree of USDA Choice versus the highest degree of USDA Select. Cost versus quality often will not be readily obvious. When shopping for beef and steaks pay close visual attention to finely dispersed marbling and color. The most desirable cuts of beef will have a bright “cherry red” color, a greater abundance of dispersed marbling and fine texture. Color of cuts of beef from older-age cattle becomes a much darker red with a more coarse texture. Video of Detailed Methods of How USDA Grades Quality of Beef USDA Prime Beef The highest graded level. Most abundant marbling. Derived from the youngest cattle. Most tender, juicy, buttery flavorful and finest texture. Few retail grocers carry USDA Prime Beef and steaks.

Only about 2% of beef is certified USDA Prime and is usually found in specialty butcher shops and high-end, upscale steakhouses. Best for grilling. USDA Choice Beef The second highest graded level. Moderate marbling. Excellent economic alternative to USDA Prime. Slightly less tender, less juicy and a bit more coarse than prime. Typically found in grocery stores and some of the best steak house restaurants. Best for grilling. USDA Select Beef The third highest graded level. Slightly marbled. Most lean. More coarse texture that prime or choice. Much less tender. More likely to be tough. Usually the lowest grade of steak found in grocery stores. Not as desirable. Typically served in lower-end steak houses. Usually not ideal for dry grilling. Best wet-cooked and braised. If grilled, marinate to increase tenderness. Lesser USDA Grades USDA Standard and USDA Commercial are very lean with little fat. Very tough. Derived from older cattle. Not ideal for grilling at all. Cheap. When sold in stores this quality is typically ungraded by the USDA. Utility, Cutter and Canner grades are almost void of any fat and are sourced from much more mature cattle.

They are typically used in processed meat products, canned meats and some low-cost frozen dinners. More Information What Are The Different Beef Grades! More Detailed Information on USDA Prime and Choice Graded Beef PRIME [The Moderately Abundant Picture Above] This is the grade of beef that contains the greatest degree of marbling (small flecks of fat that are interspersed with the lean muscle, which contributes to tenderness, juiciness and flavor). It is generally sold to finer restaurants and to some selected meat stores. It is usually higher priced because it is produced in very limited quantities. Choice [The Moderate Picture Above] This is the grade preferred by many consumers because it contains sufficient marbling for taste and tenderness. It is usually less costly than U.S. Prime. Choice falls between Prime and Select. Select [The Slight Picture Above] This is generally a lower-priced grade of beef with less marbling than U.S. Choice. Select cuts of beef may vary in tenderness and juiciness. Select has the least amount of marbling, making it leaner than, but often not as tender, juicy and flavorful as, the other two top grades.

Click on any jar below to go to that seasonings web page where you can read more about that seasoning and place your order. Prime Steak and Beefburger Seasoning (Formerly Meyers Roast Beef Rub) is our most popular shake-on seasoning. Most markets today offer a selection of Choice and Select cuts. Wal-Mart normally only carries USDA Select Beef. USDA Grading is optional and is paid for by meat processors. The cost is ultimately reflected in the price of the meat. Grade Grade By Joe O'Connell , Food Writer First posted 3 July 2003 at 1840 GMT Last updated 30 November 2003 at 1724 GMT LOS ANGELES, California ï¿½ Chefs who aspire to Steak Perfection understand the system for awarding a USDA Beef Grade (or the system used in their own country). This website and the Steak Perfection book provide detailed information so that everyone can learn how a beef grade is determined, what it means, and how it relates to steak perfection. Most beef sold around the world is regulated by the various countries.

In the United States, beef is graded by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and includes both a quality grade and a yield grade. See the U.S. Department of Agriculture's website for more information. Current grading system The USDA inspectors mark beef carcasses (including full-, half- and quarter-carcasses) with a quality grade mark. Quality grading is designed to distinguish between differences in palatability among carcasses. In red meat carcasses the quality grade has served as a nationwide guide to the eating qualities of meat, including its tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. Beef quality attributes considered to be of value include: (1) maturity, (2) marbling, (3) texture of the lean, (4) firmness of the lean and fat, and (5) color of the lean and fat. The quality grade is determined by considering the degree of marbling and firmness as observed in the cut surface of the rib eye in relation to the maturity of the carcass. In other words, a younger beef cannot be expected to have the same marbling in the rib eye as the older one. There are eight grades of beef, although only the first three or four are usually sold in markets.

These grades are, in descending order of quality: Prime Cutter Canner The first two grades -- prime and choice -- are top quality, the select grade is average. The other grades should not be used in most circumstances. Three Choice Grade levels The Choice Grade represents beef which is 15% more marbled than Select. The Choice Grade covers a very broad spectrum of beef. Within the Choice Grade, there are three different levels of quality, which are usually called: Small marbling Modest marbling Moderate marbling Moderately marbled USDA Choice is the top cut, just one step short of Prime. Branded beef often uses this top cut of Choice for its program (see below). Decline in beef quality Chefs should know a little about the history of the grading system in order to understand how a change in the grading system led to a decline in the quality of beef. Experts agree that the quality of beef today is much worse that it was twenty years ago. This will explain the reason. Prior to 1987, the top three grades of beef in the U.S. were Prime, Choice and Good.

The major difference was the degree of marbling: Prime is 15% more marbled than Choice, which is 15% more marbled than Good. About three-fourths of grain-fed beef was graded Prime or Choice. The National Cattlemen's Association (NCA) started a nationwide consumer movement for lean beef. At the request of the NCA, Texas A&M University produced the "National Consumer Retail Beef Study", which began the "War on Fat". The study recommended that consumers be educated to purchase lean beef. The problem was that beef graded Prime and Choice were fatter, and consumers had learned that beef graded Good was lean but tough. The "solution" - so typically the resort of those with poor ideas but a "we know better than them" conviction - was to change the definition. That is, change the name of the grade from Good to Select, so that consumers could be "fooled" into thinking that a lean cut was better than one with fat. In other words, consumers would be "re-educated" (some would call the government's efforts nothing less than propaganda) to prefer lean, lower-quality beef.

As opposed to the fraudulent "solution", the fact is that the taste of beef results from marbling (intermuscular fat). Prime Grade beef tastes better than lowers graded beef because it has more marbling - more fat. Conversely, leaner beef has less marbling and less taste. In the 1980s, some people argued that consumers deserved to be educated, not brain-washed. They urged the industry to educate consumers on the following facts: (1) marbled beef tastes better than leaner beef; (2) marbled beef is more expensive than leaner beef; but (3) eating too much marbled beef is not healthy. Those who urged this lost the argument to others who wanted to "fool the consumers" with a combination of a name-change coupled with the false and incomplete message that "lean beef tastes better and is healthier". Both statements are false: lean beef does not taste better, and lean beef if not healthier. Skeptics may argue that the beef industry succeeded beyond their wildest expectations and hopes. After all, now 80% of Prime Grade U.S. beef is exported (mostly to Japan) at premium prices; U.S.

consumers are now buying low-quality beef without objection; and the low-quality beef costs the industry much less to produce (yet it now produces the same revenue as previously received for high-quality beef). For more information, see Robb Walsh's story, " A Matter of Fat ". In 1987, as a result of the study, the USDA Good Grade was renamed the Select Grade. Since then, consumers have been "educated" into believing that lean beef like Select Grade is a high quality grade, and beef of the highest quality has declined in availability (quantity) and, according to some, even in quality. According to Marilyn Spiera, President of the famous Brooklyn steakhouse, Peter Luger, "A lot of the meat they now sell as 'Prime' wouldn't even be graded 'Choice' 35 years ago." Quoted by John Mariani, Ready for Prime Time . CAB and other branded beef programs Because the 1987 changes led consumers to experience a decrease in the quality (taste) of beef, a market for higher quality beef developed, which itself led to the development of branded beef programs. The best marketed and thus best known program now is the Certified Angus Beef (CAB).

CAB uses the top third of the Choice Grade, which is called the Moderately Marbled level of Choice. With the consumer confusion caused by the USDA's changes, CAB allows consumers an alternative to the confusing (for them) government grading. According to a report , "After the USDA issues a grade, an Angus grader comes through and stamps the meat that fits their program. What they are taking is, by and large, the top level of USDA Choice." CAB and other programs market their beef without the USDA labels and pass off as the highest quality those cuts which are not quite Prime Grade but are nevertheless affordable. Most consumers and even many barbecue cooks believe incorrectly that CAB is Prime Grade. Of course, that is exactly what CAB wants consumers to believe (and it is the reason that CAB itself does not usually label the USDA Grade on its products). CAB is only one of the many branded beef programs. Sterling Silver and others are also widely available. In addition, there are a new generation of "organic", "natural" and "hormone-free" beef sold in the U.S. While these in the past had been available only from "health food stores", they are now becoming commonly available in supermarkets.

Yield grades The USDA grades beef with a yield grade, in addition to the quality grade. Yield grading is designed to illustrate the percentage of lean meat that can be obtained from a beef carcass. The yield grade of a beef carcass is determined by four characteristics: (1) amount of external fat; (2) amount of kidney, pelvic, and heart fat; (3) area of the rib eye muscle; and, (4) warm carcass weight. There are five yield grades numbered 1 through 5. Beef carcasses in Yield Grade 1 have the highest degree of cutability while carcasses in Yield Grade 5 have the lowest. (Cutability refers to the proportion of the carcass weight that is actually saleable at the retail counter.) Yield grades are applied without regard to quality grade. Grades such as USDA Prime-1, Choice-1, Choice-2, or any combination of quality grade and yield grade may be applied to the carcass. Grading not mandatory Commercial produced beef in the United States is not required to be officially graded. For example, most States have a department to inspect and grade meat and poultry, but federal law prohibits the interstate transportation of any meat or poultry that has not been federally inspected.

Related information See the U.S. Department of Agriculture's website for more information about grading. Related information:

Question: What is the top grade of USDA beef?
Answer: Prime