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Beef
Choosing The Right Meat
by: Kadence Buchanan |
| To a person that does not
commonly purchase meat, the deli counter can be a very intimidating
place to be. There are so many selections to choose from when you
are trying to find red meat, and many people don't know where to
look when it comes to purchasing good cuts of meat. In this article,
we'll discuss some of the common features of steaks to look for when
purchasing beef so that you can know how to choose the right cuts
for you and your family.
| First off, you need to
understand the USDA's grading system when it comes to steak. There
are three grades of beef sold under the USDA guidelines - Prime,
Choice, and Select. Prime is the most expensive cut of beef, and it
is usually from younger cows and features extensive marbling.
Marbling is an aspect of beef that is important to understand. When
small levels of fat permeate through the meat, causing it to have a
‘marbled' appearance like the stone of the same name, the beef is
often very tender and consequently highly desired. It can be tough
to find Prime USDA beef outside of restaurants, with only specialty
butchers usually carrying the meat. The next step down in the
quality of beef is Choice. Choice beef is the most commonly found
grade in the marketplace, and while it has less marbling than Prime
beef, it still tends to be desirable. Select is the lowest grade of
beef, featuring limited marbling throughout the beef, usually
resulting in tough meat that isn't very juicy.
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Another important aspect
to consider when buying beef is the cut. One of the most commonly
purchased high-end steak cuts is known as filet mignon. Also
commonly referred to as beef tenderloin, these cuts are amongst the
tenderest cuts of beef available. They are often round in
appearance, and you can expect to pay a pretty penny when purchasing
filet mignon. New York Strip Steaks are also often desirable,
featuring a long marbled cut of meat with a strip of fat along the
side. T-Bones and Porterhouses represent the bigger cuts of steak,
with 20 ounces being a common size for the Porterhouse. They feature
a bone along the center with plenty of marbled, tender meat
throughout.
When choosing an individual steak, there are
some things to look out for. Purchase beef that is bright red in
color, signifying a level of freshness not found in most steaks. The
package that the steak comes in should be cold, and there shouldn't
be much juice floating around the package - that denotes that the
meat may have been on the shelf for too long of a time. The meat
should be firm to the touch, with soft meat possibly being on the
shelf too long as well.
Now that you know what to
look for when shopping for a steak, you can more accurately pick the
cut of meat and the choice steaks to keep you and your dinner guests
pleased. |
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