USDA’s Meat Grading Program
Grilled on January 21st, 2006 in BeefHave you seen the labels USDA PRIME, USDA CHOICE, and USDA SELECT on the cuts of meat at the butcher or supermarket? Have you wondered what they mean? Well, the USDA Meat Grading Program is the one that categorizes most retail cuts of meat into those three buckets (there are a total of 8 grades) and that categorization is based on nationally uniform federal standards. While they do try to keep the grading even across all markets, we all know that’s not 100% possible so take all those grades with a grain of salt.
The Prime is the best grade, Choice the next, and Select the third. Usually you’ll only find the Prime cut at an actual/meat market, restaurants and hotels; most supermarkets will carry Choice and Select grades. There is nothing wrong with a grading of Select, it’s not even necessarily “worse” than Prime or Choice… so don’t get that stuck in your head. The cut of meat you select (i.e. where the meat came from the body) and how you cook it (i.e. dare to be rare? or do you like the jerky-esqe feel of a well-done steak?) makes a much bigger difference on the quality of your steak than the grading.
I mentioned earlier that there are 8, but most meat you see in the stores will fall into three categories. The other five are Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter and Canner. Standard is also one you’ll see in stores as well but the others are mostly used for either ground beef or stuffed into hot dogs.
Ok, I couldn’t resist stirring things up here as well. First of all, let me preface this by saying that my dad is a retired butcher. I practically grew up in a meat market.
The top three grades, Prime, Choice and Select, are given primarily based on fat content. Prime beef has more marbling. More marbling means a tastier, more tender piece of beef.
Prime beef is hard to find. High-end custom butchers, and high-priced restaurants are your best choice. But once you’ve had a Prime ribeye, cooked to perfection…oh my!
I mention the ribeye because it’s my first choice in steaks. The only difference between a ribeye steak and “prime rib” is the fact that the steak is sliced from the roast PRIOR to cooking.
Some prefer different cuts, and that’s fine, but I’d like to mention a caveat…when you purchase a cut like a T-bone you’re paying eight dollars or more a pound for, well, bone. Buy a sirloin strip (the “big” side of the T-bone) or a tenderloin (the “little” side) instead. Don’t pay big bucks for bone you can’t eat.
As for doneness, these are the recognized levels:
RARE: nearly red through-out. Extremely tender, red juices flow freely. Fork-tender, or close to it.
MEDIUM-RARE: nearly pink through-out. Cool in the center. Still close to fork-tender, pink juices flow freely.
MEDIUM: Nearly everyone can learn to love this. A pink center, hot throughout, very juicy, still fairly tender. The most-oftened ordered in restaurants.
MEDIUM-WELL: A lot of tenderness has been lost. No pinkness left, requires a Prime or Choice cut to still have any juiciness. You’ll need a sharp steak knife.
WELL-DONE: Shoe-leather. There’s no juice left. If you want one of these prepared at my house, bring your own steak and be prepared to cook it yourself. I won’t abuse a piece of good beef this way.
Just my two-cents worth.