Beef grading is a crucial way to figure out the different standards of beef quality. It’s super important for us as consumers. Knowing what sets one grade of beef apart helps us make smart choices when picking a steak, ensuring we get the best bang for our buck.
How is Beef Graded in the United States? Beef is graded by experts at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) based on factors like the amount of marbling within the lean muscle, the age or maturity of the carcass, and the color, texture, and firmness of the lean muscle.
What are the Grades of Beef?
There are eight beef quality grades. Here is the list of grades from highest to lowest: Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner. Most of us at the grocery store or a nice steakhouse come across Prime, Choice, or Select. Those are the ones worth remembering.
Let’s take a closer look at what these grades mean and why they matter.
Prime Beef
Prime is the highest grade of beef in the USDA grading system. It’s all about young, well-fed cattle that end up with beef so rich in marbling that it’s got 8-13% fat. But here’s the thing: Prime beef is pretty rare, making up only 2-4% of all beef sold in the United States. That means it’s not only super high quality but also pretty expensive, mostly finding its way to high-end restaurants.
So, what’s the big deal with all that marbling? It’s simple: it makes prime-grade beef incredibly juicy, tender, and flavorful, especially when cooked right. That’s why the best steakhouses, restaurants, and fancy hotels usually get their hands on it. And when it comes to cooking, medium-rare doneness is the sweet spot. Why? Because at 130-140°F (54–60°C), all that fat starts to melt, turning each bite of steak into something truly special.
Choice Beef
Choice is the most common USDA grade of beef in the food industry, making up 50-60% of all beef sold in the United States. It’s high in quality without being ridiculously expensive. However, it doesn’t have as much marbling as prime-grade beef. But honestly, even with less marbling, choice-grade beef is still very tender, juicy, and flavorful.
For the best culinary experience, tender cuts of choice-grade beef are perfect for quick, high-heat cooking methods. On the other hand, the less tender cuts shine when cooked slowly at low temperatures, allowing them to develop better texture and depth of flavor.
Prime vs. Choice Beef
The most important difference between prime and choice beef is that prime has way more marbling. Prime beef has marbling at 8-13% fat, while choice beef has marbling only at 4-10% fat. More marbling means more flavor, juiciness, and tenderness; that’s why prime beef is considered better than choice beef. But choice beef isn’t far behind. It’s a lot cheaper, you can find it easily in most stores, and it’s great for everyday meals, especially if you’re not into a lot of fat like what you get with prime beef.
Select Beef
Select-grade beef is popular in the retail market. Despite its lower price, it offers good quality but has less marbling, which means it’s less juicy, tender, or flavorful than higher-grade beef. Interestingly, select-grade beef makes up 10-15% of all beef sold in the United States.
Select-grade beef has minimal marbling, so it’s usually best to slow-cook the tougher cuts to bring out their flavors. But for tender ones like ribeye or strip, high-heat cooking works well. Just remember not to overcook them.
Choice vs. Select Beef
The primary difference between choice and select beef is that choice has way more marbling. Choice beef has marbling at 4-10% fat, while select beef has marbling only at 2-4% fat. As a result, choice-grade beef is more tender, juicy, flavorful, and, of course, expensive than select-grade beef.
Standard Beef
Standard-grade beef is known for its lean, tough texture and almost zero marbling. This lack of marbling is one of the reasons it’s not popular. Standard beef is usually sold as a store-brand meat in grocery stores, and its best use is in slow-cooked recipes like stews.
Commercial Beef
Commercial-grade beef is very lean and tough with zero marbling. Its leanness makes it an excellent choice for creating high-quality and lean ground beef blends.
Utility, Cutter, and Canner Grades of Beef
Utility, Cutter, and Canner are the lowest-quality beef grades, typically not found in retail stores. These meats generally come from older animals and lack any marbling. Their primary use is in processed products. For example, utility-grade beef is reserved for processed meat products like frozen meals and canned stews. On the other hand, cutter and canner grade beef is primarily used in making pet food.