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I had some Select grade steak cooked to medium. I felt it was a bit tough. I wonder if it is because of the cooking, or the fact that it's select trade has something to do with it as well.
Traditionally we think of grades as relating to distribution of fat. Does it also affect the tenderness of the meat after cooking?
There are eight total quality grades: Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter and Canner. They have been used by the beef industry since 1927
Generally marbling helps with tenderness, but not always. Tenderness is most affected by the amount of use the muscle got and it is affected by the aging process.
Select grades of meat will not have had much aging. They sell for less money so they get less time invested in them. To me, select grade usually smells "green". I've had it turn out fine to eat after I age it awhile at home, but it is generally not what I would buy if I want a nice steak. I have bought whole loins that were graded select and aged them and cut them into steaks and they were quite nice. Flavor is usually good. Toughness can be an issue with select grade.
For beef with less fat, you must limit the cooking time as it will get tougher the longer you cook it.
as a consumer, I only ever see 3 grades in the market: Prime, Choice & Select. I think Select is seldom labled or its the store-brand generic.
Since the increase in beef prices since Biden-flation, I pay more attention. I rarely see Prime, and I have looked for it. I think I mainly shop at bargin or organic markets, tho'. rib eye runs about $26-$29/lbs here so its fallen out of my grocery list.
Since I am a creature of habit, I mainly stick to a few cuts of beef I am familar with and cook well. I'm not looking for "the most tender" outcome, for instance I do not like filet mignon. I dont mind a nice chewy tri tip, but I'm not grilling outdoors in the cold. So what cooks up in the broiler is the winner for the next few months.
Being close to the border in Arizona, we buy a lot of ungraded beef as it is more affordable. If you are making stews, chilis and the like, why pay so much more for choice or prime?
My FIL raised dairy cows for years. Every once in a while, we would send out an older cow for slaughter and distribute the meat among the family. Almost all of the meat was either ground, cut into stew meat or canned by his BIL. I liked the taste of the meat as it was more flavorful than what you buy in the store. Tenderness was NOT an issue as well, due to the methods of preparation used.
45 plus yrs ago most grocery stores carried mostly choice grade beef
In the late 80’s the lean and low fat craze began … the want for lean and less marbled beef happened… this is when select grade beef became popular- select is also cheaper than choice allowing cheaper advertised price points
Some stores carry. All three grades .. some stores in poor areas just carry select for cheaper prices
There is cheaper beef than select grades… not just lower grades but .. there’s also ungraded
Beef called no-roll … and there’s Mexican beef called Sukarne… that is super cheap and lean
I can sell t bones and porterhouse for 4.99lb maybe Even 3.99lb
Of Sukarne- the tenderloin is very popular at less than $10lb
If you cherry pick the grocery store flyers for lossleaders you can get some great deals… some stores will sell below cost just to get you thru the door … that’s the time to stock up
I’ve bought select grade … before and had good luck… just don’t overcook… as in a rib eye or strip steak… if you buy a select roast or lean steak on price… like a London broil .. then you can cut these into stew … use for jerky .. or throw in crock pot where it falls apart…
Choice and prime grade have the most marbling and will have more flavor/tenderness
There is cheaper beef than select grades… not just lower grades but .. there’s also ungraded
Beef called no-roll … and there’s Mexican beef called Sukarne… that is super cheap and lean
I can sell t bones and porterhouse for 4.99lb maybe Even 3.99lb
Of Sukarne- the tenderloin is very popular at less than $10lb
If you cherry pick the grocery store flyers for loss leaders you can get some great deals… some stores will sell below cost just to get you thru the door … that’s the time to stock up
In Arizona, the local Food City which is geared toward a Mexican customer base was offering chuck roasts for $5.49/ lb. However, their ad was offering carne para tamales for $2.99/ lb. I looked that meat over for a while and finally one of the butchers came out. I asked him what part of the steer it came from. And yes, I was right, it was chuck roast. I bought a 9# package and trimmed it up into chuck roasts for future use.
I guess that the lesson from this experience is to stock up on chuck roast during the period when people are making tamales since that product has been on sales from Thanksgiving on.
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