Decoding beef grades and labels

Ahhhhhh, beeeeef. Flesh of bovine. Is there anything more luxurious and decadent than a prime grade dry aged ribeye grilled over high heat? Cattle are butchered and can be broken down into many different cuts. The most popular use of beef is for steaks, roasts, and ground meat, but everything from the tongue to stomach to testicles are served. Even the bones are used for stews and soups.

Beef comes from both steers (boys) and heifers (girls), and the best comes from mature, but not old animals. Young animals, calves, are used for veal. Older, tougher animals are best used for ground beef.

There are some very helpful terms used to describe beef and many appear on beef labels. It pays to know them when you shop.

Beef grades

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors grade beef primarily on the age of the animal and the amount of fat mixed in with the muscle. This fat is called marbling because it resembles the striations in marble, thin, weblike filagrees. The more marbling, the more flavor and tenderness and juiciness. Fat is where the flavor's at.

USDA Utility, Cutter, Canner. These are the lowest grades of beef and used primarily by processors for soups, canned chili, sloppy Joe's, etc. You will not likely see them in a grocery.

USDA Standard or Commercial. Practically devoid of intramuscular fat. If it does not have a grade on the label it is probably standard or commercial. These grades are fine for stewed or ground meat, but they are a bad choice for barbecue.

USDA Select or Good. Slight marbling. Most restaurant brisket is this grade. If you know what you are doing you can make this stuff tender. Otherwise, get a higher grade.

USDA Choice. Moderate marbling. This is a good choice for backyard cooks. About half the beef is marked USDA Choice.

USDA Prime. Abundant marbling. Often from younger cattle. Only about 3% of the beef is prime and it is usually reserved for the restaurant trade, but your butcher should be able to order it for you.

Special breeds

Certified Angus Beef™. Black Angus cattle are considered by many to be an especially flavorful breed.

Kobe or Wagyu Beef. Wagyu is a special breed that is genetically disposed to have high marbling. They were first popularized in Japan where they became known as Kobe beef. Wagyu are now also raised in the US and other countries. They are fed a special diet and get special treatment to enhance marbling. In Japan Kobe beef are fed sake and beer mash during the final fattening stages. Some Japanese Kobe cattle even get daily massages. No kidding. This meat can sell for more than $100/pound for the best cuts.

Aging

After cattle are slaughtered chemical changes called rigor mortis makes the meat tough within the first 12 hours. The carcass must be chilled rapidly but not frozen, and it takes several days for the muscles to relax enough to be sold. This usually happens in shipment. After that it can be further aged, or ripened, to increase tenderness. Enzymes and oxygen begin to work on the meat during the aging process, but too much age can spoil the meat, especially if bacteria, yeasts, or molds attack the meat. There is a big difference between aged meat and old meat. In addition, aging does not enhance all cuts, and it is not necessary for ground beef. Pork and most poultry do not age well at all because their fats get rancid more rapidly than those of beef.

Wet Aged. Most meat is shipped from slaughter houses as large wholesale cuts packed in plastic vacuum bags in boxes. If kept this way at 34-38F for about a month enzymes tenderize the meat, but the flavor is not as enhanced as it is in dry aging.

Dry Aged. This is an expensive process for tenderizing and concentrating the flavor of beef. Large hunks meat, usually the best cuts, are hung in a sanitary room at 34-38F and 70-80% humidity, with brisk airflow. During this time the meat's natural enzymes tenderize the meat and moisture evaporates shrinking the meat up to 20% (fresh beef is about 70% water). The exterior of the muscle gets dark purple (see photo at right), and mold sometimes grows on the outside of the meat, but it is trimmed off before serving. Dry aging is sometimes called controlled rotting. Aged beef is noticeably better tasting. Because the temp and humidity are important, you should not try this at home. It is rare top find dry aged beef in grocery stores because most of them buy their meat in vacuum packed plastic bags. Some specialty butchers and high end restaurants offer dry aged beef.

Other terms

Grass Fed Beef. Until the 1950s, most US beef was grass fed by being allowed to graze on open ranges. As the US population grew and demand for cheap beef grew, grain feeding of beef became the norm.

Grain Fed Beef. For most of their lives, and especially just before slaughtering, most cattle in the US are fed corn. These cattle have slightly more fat and many people prefer the taste. The process is controversial. Cattle do not easily digest corn, but the process is popular because they can be kept in tight pens in feed lots and do not have to graze over open land.

Organic Beef. USDA rules passed in 2002 state that certified organic beef must be produced according to strict rules that must be verified with an elaborate paper trail on every animal including its breed, feed, and medical history. To be certified organic it must eat only organic grasses and grains, have unrestricted outdoor access, must never be given antibiotics or hormones, and must be treated humanely. Organic beef is more expensive.

Natural Beef. Natural beef must not be given antibiotics or hormones, but they can be grown, fed and handled in the same way as other common cattle.

Kosher and Halal Beef. These cattle are grown and slaughtered according to Jewish law (kosher) or Moslem law (Halal). Their requirements are similar. Both require that the animal be slaughtered by slitting the animal's neck veins and drained of practically all blood. Some experts believe this methood is painful and inhumane.