... and you are gonna like it!
By James BerryBy James Berry
Introduction to Beef Introduction to Beef Quality GradingQuality Grading
Grading vs. Tasting Why?
• Of all BBQs you have, you could not possibly taste every animal!
• What if the product is not consumable?
• Tasting is too time consuming and subjective
What is the purpose beef carcass grading?
• To allow beef producers, packers, and retailers to be paid for the level of quality product they distribute.
• The USDA implemented meat grading to ensure that the product is of the right quality that consumers want.
• To create a basis for comparison and data in the beef industry.
• It is NOT mandatory for beef producers to use– But many markets such as Safeway and Kroger
require it.
How do beef grades affect me?
• They guarantee a grade of meat that we can trust at the quality level of the product you are buying.
• They increase the chance that we will be satisfied with our product.
What are the two types of grades?
• Quality Grade – Qualitative
• Yield Grade - Quantitative
What are the 8 types of quality grades?
• Three for purchase at the store:Prime (very rare)
Choice – Starting to be the standard at stores
Select – used to be the standard
• Others consumed by people in different waysStandard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and
Canner
What is the purpose of Quality Grades?
• Reflects the differences in the eating quality of meat based on:Marbling scores - the amount of fat interspersed
in the muscle.
Maturity scores - reflects the age of the animal at slaughter.
Factors influencing Quality Grade
1. Direct• Marbling• Maturity
2. Indirect• Texture• Firmness• Color
Prime 1 in 26
Upper 2/3 of Choice 1 in 19
Lower 1/3 of Choice 1 in 7
Select 1 in 5
Standard 1 in 2
Prime 1 in 26
Upper 2/3 of Choice 1 in 19
Lower 1/3 of Choice 1 in 7
Select 1 in 5
Standard 1 in 2
No fat is good right? ...Not always.
Quality GradeOdds of
poor steak
Prime
• This carcass has superior marbling, proper carcass conformation, and adequate maturity. – Found in fine restaurants and gourmet stores.
• Not economical for meat packers – The cattle are required to get very fat to
obtain enough marbling – A small percentage of cattle meet the
conformation standards.
Choice
• This is the most economical and most desirable carcass grade. – Adequate marbling and carcass conformation
are required.
Select
• (Used to be called "Good") This beef may be referred to as "no-roll" since it isn't stamped with the USDA grade.
– Must have slight marbling.– This meat is inspected but not marked with a
stamp as Prime and Choice.
Standard
• Usually older animals and thin animals. – Minimum marbling or below average carcass
conformation fits into this category.
Commercial
• Includes the designations of: Cutter
Canner
Utility.
– This meat is usually processed into lunch meats, soup, and canned meat products.
Cull
• Not acceptable for human consumption.– Often times put into animal consumption or
used to make other products.
– No longer used as animal consumption products
• BSE
Tenderness
Quality of Taste
Notice the visual difference in marbling (intramuscular fat) at each quality Grade
Moderately Abundant
Primeo
ModestChoiceo
ModestChoiceo
Slightly AbundantPrime-
ModestChoiceo
ModerateChoice+
ModestChoiceo
SmallChoice-
ModestChoiceo
SlightSelect
Relationship between Marbling, Maturity, and Carcass Quality Grade1
Maturity2
Degrees of Marbling A3 B C D E
Abundant Prime +
Moderately Abundant Prime Prime
Slightly Abundant Prime -
Moderate Choice + Choice
Modest Choice
Small Choice - Standard
Slight Select Standard
Traces Standard + Standard
Practically Devoid StandardAge < 30 months 30-42 months 42-72 months 72-96 months >96 months1Assumes that firmness of lean is comparably developed with the degree of marbling andthat the carcass is not a “dark cutter”.2Maturity increases from left to right (A through E).3The A maturity portion of the figure is the only portion applicable to bullock carcasses.
Based on marbling, what would you grade the cut on the left?
Based on marbling, what would you grade the cut on the left?
Prime
So what do we take from this?
• Why do we need to know this information?
• Do we go and buy the highest quality?
• How does beef grading affect how we eat?
Let’s get Grilling!Let’s get Grilling!
Sources
• Most information, slides and pictures provided by
Dr. Jon Beckett, Cal Poly, SLO
• USDA
• National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
• Slides 25 & 26 - www.ag.auburn.edu/ ~sschmidt/meats/sld011.htm
