How is Beef Graded in the US?
Are you looking for information about how beef is graded in the US? Read this article to learn the basics, including a summary of how other meats are graded by the USDA.
What is Grading?
USDA meat and poultry grading is the assignment of a marketing quality standard. It does not indicate safety. If you are looking for a mark of safety, you should look for the inspection mark. Therefore grading, is voluntary while inspection is mandatory. Grading is done by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). You will recall that in comparison, inspection is done by USDA-FSIS. Grading is not paid for by tax dollars but is paid for by the processor. The grade stamp is only placed on the carcass and is not present on retail cuts, however the packages will bear the assigned US grade.
Beef Grading
Beef is graded based on quality and yield. Quality is related to its tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. Yield is related to the amount of lean meat on the carcass. The quality grades for beef include prime, choice, select for beef cattle that are less that 30 months. For older cattle the quality grades are standard, commercial, utility, cutter, and canner.
Prime cuts are the juiciest and most flavorful due to abundant marbling in the meat. Marbling refers to the spread of fat throughout the meat. The fat imparts juiciness, and flavor since most of the flavor in meat are absorbed in the fat.
Choice cuts are also of high-quality but has less marbling than prime. Select cuts have the least amount of marbling and are therefore less tender, and may lack some juiciness and flavor. The lower value beef such as standard, commercial, utility, cutter, and canner have much less marbling, and are generally darker and tougher. Standard and commercial cuts may be sold as “ungraded” or cheap “store brand” meat. Utility, cutter and canner are generally converted to ground beef and processed products.
Yield grades of beef range from "1" to "5" and indicate the amount of usable meat from the carcass. Yield 1 contain the most usable meat but this also means that it has the least fat, giving it the lowest eating quality. Yield 5 contains the least usable meat but this also means that it has the most fat, giving it the highest eating quality. Retail consumers should not worry about yield grades. But if you are purchasing a whole side of carcass, this is something you would want to know since it will affect the amount of salable meat you get out of it.
Other Types of USDA Grading
Veal Grading
Veal (calf) is given five grades, that is, prime, choice, good, standard, and utility.
Lamb Grading
There are five grades for lamb, that is, prime, choice, good, utility and cull.
Pork Grading
Pork is not USDA graded since it is generally produced from young animals that have been bred to produce a uniformly tender meat.
Poultry Grading
USDA poultry grades are A, B, and C. Grade A poultry is what you would normally see in the store. They are virtually free from defects such as bruises, discolorations and feathers. They have no broken bones and no tear in the skin. They also have a good covering of fat under the skin and are fully fleshed and meaty. Grades B and C are generally used in further-processed products where they are cut up, chopped, or ground.
Egg Grading
Egg grading standards include grades AA, A and grade B eggs. Grades AA and A eggs are what you will see in the stores. There are little differences between them. AA grades have thick, firm whites, and high round yolks. Their shells are clean and unbroken. Grade A eggs are very similar but their whites are just a bit less firm. Grade B eggs are sent for further processing into powdered and liquid eggs. That is because they have thin whites and wide yolks that may contain slight stains.
If you have never thought about it before, the next time you go to the supermarket just stop by the meat isle and look for the grade mark. If you find it, it means that the producer has taken the time to make sure that the product is not only safe but is of high quality.