Beef With High Marbling

Beef carcass quality grading is based on 1 degree of marbling and 2 degree of maturity.

Beef with high marbling.

Marbling intramuscular fat is the intermingling or dispersion of fat within the lean. In this article i will explain when marbling is a good gauge of beef tenderness when it is not and how else to gauge beef tenderness when marbling is not a suitable gauge of beef tenderness. Indeed to ensure an apples to apples comparison or steak to steak if you prefer inspectors look at the loin muscle specifically between the 12th and 13th ribs which is where the short loin primal cut meets its next. And some cattle breeds simply will not produce marbled meat no matter what they are fed how fat they get or how tender their beef is.

Marbling comes in different shapes and sizes and not all beef marbling indicates greatness. Wagyu beef for example can be extremely marbled due to its genetics so much so that it s prized for that marbling. The lean muscle has a high frequency of thin evenly distributed flecks of fat. The beef rib and short loin are among the most marbled sections while the beef round and sirloin tend to have the least.

Efficient high marbling beef is possible. Cattlemen looking for both efficiency and carcass quality can have it all according to a university of georgia uga animal scientist. A university of georgia team says beef cows can be efficient and not impact the carcass. Marble score or grades are a component of the aus meat beef quality grading system and is assessed within the ribeye muscle.

Although some people disagree about the quality of different types of marbling the following is the generally accepted standard.