Tips for Buying Beef

As I stand over the meat case at the grocery store, specifically the beef, I often gaze over the packages and am not exactly sure what is tender (that will cook fast) and what is not. I also know about grading, but I sometimes have trouble finding the grading label and am not too sure about the difference between Choice and Select.

Michele Aavang is a crop and beef farmer. She was with us (“Field Moms”) on our grocery store tour. In the Field Mom program, we refer to Michele, and other farm women who join us, as “Farm Moms.” As we headed down the beef aisle, Michele stopped and explained beef grading to us.

The USDA has quality grading for the common meats - beef, veal, and lamb. They also have quality grades for pork, but the grading doesn’t carry through to us at the grocery store. When meat is graded, the USDA shield is stamped on the carcass. By the time it gets to us at the store, we don’t see that mark on the cuts of meat, but each package of graded meat should have the USDA shield along with the word Prime, Choice, Select, or Standard.

What does the grading mean?

Well, first of all, regardless of the quality grade, some cuts of meat are more tender than others. Cuts from the less-used muscles along the back of the animal (rib and loin) are more tender than those from the more active muscles (shoulder, flank, and leg). The most tender cuts make up a smaller proportion of the carcass, are usually in greater demand, and are, therefore, usually priced higher.

Each USDA grade is a measure of a distinct level of quality and there are eight grades in the range. USDA Prime, Choice, Select, and Standard grades come from younger beef. Prime is sold mostly to hotels and restaurants. Choice is widely available to us at the grocery store, and our (consumer) preference for leaner beef has increased the popularity of the Select grade and it has become common to find, as well. Standard and Commercial grade beef is usually sold as ungraded or as “brand name” meat. The lowest three grades are almost never sold retail, but are used to make ground beef and manufactured meat items; think hot dog.

Prime grade beef is the highest level of tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. It has abundant marbling – flecks of fat within the lean, which enhances the juiciness and flavor. Prime roasts and steaks are the best for roasting and broiling.

Choice grade beef has less marbling than Prime, but is very high quality. Choice roasts and steaks will be very tender, juicy, and flavorful. Many of the less tender cuts, such as rump, round, and blade chuck will be very good roasted or broiled.

Select grade beef is uniform in quality and somewhat leaner than the higher grades. It has less marbling, so it will less juicy and not as flavorful (fat equals flavor). Only the tender cuts should be roasted or broiled. Other cuts should be marinated before cooking or cooked with moisture to obtain maximum tenderness and flavor.

Michele recommended to us to buy the Choice quality level. Another Field Mom in the group noted that Costco sells Choice quality beef. She also said that if the cuts at Costco are too big for your family, all you have to do is ask the butcher behind the counter to cut it and they’ll happily give you the smaller size you need.

Our tour of the grocery store and the insight from the Farm Moms was really helpful. There is even more to learn about the different cuts of meat, but for now, I am going to start paying more attention to the grading labels and if I can’t find them, I’m going to ask the butcher. I’d like to try to mindfully buy Choice.

Source of grading information: USDA publication "How to Buy Meat"