... 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