Beef Quality Grades

A quality grade is a composite evaluation of factors that affect palatability of meat (tenderness, juiciness, and flavor). These factors include carcass maturity, firmness, texture, and color of lean, and the amount and distribution of marbling within the lean. Beef carcass quality grading is based on degree of marbling and degree of maturity.

Prime beef is the grade of meat with the most marbling and it is produced in very small quantities. This grade is usually found only in the finest restaurants and some high end retailers.

Choice beef is the grade of meat directly below prime because its marbling appears at lower levels than prime but more prevalent than select. Choice grade is popular is larger scale dining establishments and will be frequantly be offered as a premium in most food/grocery retailers.

Select beef is a grade of meat with minimal marbling, making it very lean. Select beef is abundantly available and makes up a majority of the beef sold in retail grocery stores.