The Different Grades of Beef Steaks

Beef steak is perhaps one of the most popular dishes that people enjoy eating. However, it is important that you know the different grades of beef and choose the right grade of beef for your steaks, especially when there are many companies offering premium steaks online and in the stores.

The beef steak’s grade tells you whether it is of good quality or not and allows you to buy the best possible grade of meat that you can afford. There are three kinds of grades of beef which assess the beef’s quality and are mostly identified by the amount of fat that can be seen streaking through the muscle tissue, which is referred to as marbling. These three are prime beef, choice beef and select beef.

Prime Beef: Steak classified under this rank is perhaps the highest rated meat across the United States. Beef that has a lot of marbling means that it has a lot of flavor too. However, it is not the only factor that affects its flavor. Factors like feed quality, the meat’s aging and the fine texture also adds to it. This kind of meat is often served in fine dining restaurants and specialty meat markets. You will not see this kind of meat just by going to a regular fast food or dining stall. However, there are some websites offering prime steaks online and it is now convenient to get prime beef.

Choice Beef: USDA choice is perhaps the next best thing after USDA prime beef. Though it has less marbling than prime, it has enough for it to have more flavor than select beef.

Select Beef: This meat has the least marbling on it which makes it a bit leaner than the aforementioned beef grades. Since it has less marbling, it may not be as tender and juicy as compared to choice beef and prime beef. If you plan on cooking a high-quality steak then your best choice would be the prime beef rather than the select beef. You will often find this kind of select beef being sold in the local meat market near you.

If possible, buy meat having the best grade that you can afford. If you are unable to purchase a USDA prime beef, then go for the next best one which is USDA choice beef. Furthermore, look for steaks that are firm to the touch as well as those having a fine texture. Good quality meat is also recognized by its’ light reddish color as opposed to a deep red color. And the most important aspect that you should check in a beef is its marbling. Remember, more marbling means that the beef’s flavor is better.