Beef Marbling Usda

Marbling intramuscular fat is the intermingling or dispersion of fat within the lean.

Beef marbling usda.

For the prime grade the minimum degree of marbling required is a minimum slightly abundant amount for carcasses throughout the range of maturity permitted in the bullock class. Usda prime beef has the highest marbling score or fat content followed by usda choice. Beef that is given a higher grade is usually from younger cattle and has more fat marbling. These factors include carcass maturity firmness texture and color of lean and the amount and distribution of marbling within the lean.

The breed of cattle can play a role as well but diet and handling are the two major factors. It has slightly abundant. Graders evaluate the amount and distribution of marbling in the ribeye muscle at the cut surface after the carcass has been ribbed between the 12th and 13th ribs. Steaks from an animal raised on grain will have more marbling than beef from a grass fed cow see the usda scale below.

You ll see prime choice and select at your local supermarkets and you can more or less call those marbling scores. Usda select has only slight marbling. A quality grade is a composite evaluation of factors that affect palatability of meat tenderness juiciness and flavor. Quality grades of carcass beef bullock prime.

The usda grade shields are highly regarded as symbols of high quality american beef. Prime beef is produced from young well fed beef cattle. The amount of marbling in the meat is dependent on the cow s diet. Quality grades are widely used as a language within the beef industry making business transactions easier and providing a vital link to support rural america.

Beef cuts with less marbling such as usda select can be cooked on the grill just like usda choice or usda prime grades but may need to be monitored a little closer and cooked a little less to keep it as tender as possible. The usda grades beef based primarily on marbling though that s not the only critera.