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Boneless PRIME USDA Beef Ribeye Steak

Domestic Frenched Lamb Rack Chops

Beef Filet Mignon Bone-In - PRIME USDA ANGUS

Bone-In Beef Ribeye Steak - USDA PRIME ANGUS (Prime Rib)

Boneless Pork Sirloin Strip Steak

Understanding USDA Beef

People consume a lot of beef. Between 1910 and 1997, each person consumed between 40 to 80 pounds of beef per year. That’s a lot of steaks and roasts. To ensure that those people are able to purchase the highest quality meat available the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspects the meat before it ever reaches the supermarket, butcher’s store, restaurant, or high-end distributor.

USDA Beef Grading

When the USDA inspects beef, it gives it a grade so others will know in an instant the quality of that product. While a number of different grades are used, only the top three levels are sold fresh. Those grades are Select, Choice, and Prime. Any of the grades below these three are used in other ways, such as in processed foods or even in your pet food.

Grades are determined by looking at two factors: the amount of marbling in the beef and the maturity of the animal from which the beef came.

Marbling

Marbling refers to the mixture of meat and fat deposits in a section. More marbling increases the cut’s juiciness and flavor dramatically. In a Prime grade piece of meat, abundant marbling is present. In a Standard grade (one level below Select), there is no apparent marbling.

Maturity

In terms of the animal’s maturity, inspectors are looking for physiological maturity not just the animal’s age in months or years. Just as people’s bodies age at different rates regardless of their chronological age so do cows. To determine this type of age, inspectors pay attention to the animals’ bone and cartilage maturity.

The highest quality beef comes from animals between 9 and 30 months of age. After 30 months, the cartilage begins to become bone and the meat will become less tender. For beef from more mature animals to receive a Prime grade, they require even greater amounts of marbling.

USDA Safe Beef Handling

We’ve all heard horror stories about people getting ill after eating beef, but if you follow proper safety precautions you can enjoy your beef without being too concerned. For one, remember to keep your fresh beef cold at all times. In fact, this is a good reason not to buy your steaks and roasts at the supermarket. By the time you reach the checkout lane and drive home, your meat could have dipped below safe temperatures. An advantage of mail order beef is that it can be mailed to you in a temperature-controlled container so it will be as safe to eat when you get it as it was when you selected it.

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USDA Beef

For more information on any of the PrimeChops products, please visit the relevant area on our website or contact us and one of our friendly staff will be happy to help fill your order.