When shopping at your local butcher, you may wonder how to choose the right meat grade for your meal. These easy-to-follow guidelines tell you which cuts pack the most flavor and tenderness.

Paying attention to the grade of your meat is one of the most dependable ways to get high-quality meat every time. By understanding what each grade means, you’ll know the quality, flavor, and texture you’re buying.

The USDA (US Department of Agriculture) has graded meat quality since 1916. Since then, the agency has established new standards to make it easier for you to choose what’s best. These new regulations and grades help you and your local butcher select the best cuts.

In this article, we’ll cover what USDA grades mean, where to find the best grades, and how to pick the right one for your meal.

What Meat Grading Means

USDA meat grades can be intimidating, but with a little practice, you’ll feel confident in what you’re ordering. Grading is a simple system that rates meat on tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. It helps you pick the best option for your recipe.

Every cut of meat at your local butcher shop is graded by the USDA. This tells you, the consumer, and your butcher a lot of information.

The USDA inspects all meat, from small organic farms to large-scale industrial farms. However, grading is voluntary and producers have to pay for the grade. By taking this extra step, meat producers ensure the quality of their products.

USDA Grades

Meat grading has come a long way since it started in the early 20th century. Today, there are three meat grades to pay attention to: Prime, Choice, and Select.

You can use each grade of meat in different recipes. Some recipes, such as steaks, require the highest grades. Others, such as stews or processed meats, taste amazing with lower grades.

Keep reading below to learn more about the grades, what they mean, and what recipes they fit.

Prime (Highest Quality)

Prime has the highest quality, the best marbling of fat, and the most tenderness. Prime beef is sourced from healthy, young cattle. These cows are well-fed and live a comfortable life.

Because of their diet and lifestyle, the cows develop intramuscular fat, known as marbling. These tiny bits of fat pack a ton of flavor in each bite. Most prime beef contains roughly 8-13% fat.

This high-quality meat is best for steaks and delicate dishes with little seasoning. Use prime for dishes that accentuate your meat’s flavor without the need for heavy seasoning or tenderizing. At the Flying Butcher, you’ll find Prime Ribeye, Prime Filet Mignon, Prime T Bone, and many more.

Use Prime-graded meat for:

• Seared and grilled steak
• Prime rib
• Filet mignon

Choice (Great Balance of Flavor and Value)

Choice beef has excellent flavor and less marbling than Prime. It only contains around 4-10% fat and has more muscle and less tenderness. For people who are looking for less fat without sacrificing flavor, this grade is often ideal.

Choice-graded meat comes from young cows with an active lifestyle. Some breeds, such as Angus, often fall within this category because of their lean muscles.

You’ll still get tons of delicious meat flavor but with leaner muscle. Choice meat can be less tender but with the right preparation, it will melt in your mouth.

Use Choice-graded meat for:

• Seasoned steaks
• Pot roasts
• Tacos
• Sauce-based barbecues
• Korean short ribs
• Beef Bourguignon
• Empanadas

Select (Leaner and Requires Careful Cooking)

Select-graded meat is 2-4% fat and is common in all grocery stores. Select beef has no to very little marbling and little tenderness. This grade works for processed and heavily seasoned meat dishes with long cooking times.

Some grass-fed cattle fall within this category because of their leanness. Select beef comes from young and active cattle. Select-grade meat is sometimes ideal for anyone looking for leaner options for their recipes.

Use Select-graded meat for:

• Jerky and smoked meats
• Stews
• Curries
• Marinaded smoked ribs
• Wiener Schnitzel
• Birria

Where to Find Prime and Choice

If you want to buy Prime and Choice meat for your upcoming meal, look no further than your local butcher. Specialty butcher shops like The Flying Butcher often carry Prime and high-quality Choice cuts.

Select cuts go straight to the supermarket, along with some Prime and Choice cuts. Specialty grocers and butchers are often the first to put in orders, so what you buy at the supermarket is often lesser quality.

Besides getting the best grades at your local butcher, you’ll find meat experts ready to point you toward the best cuts. If you need, they will show you how to prepare them right. Ask for recommendations, seasonings, cooking times, or other tips to get your meat tasting incredible.

No matter how hard the recipe is, you’ll find everything you’re looking for to prepare your meal. Get creative and experiment with different cuts and recipes. If you have the best ingredients, the sky’s the limit to what you can create!

How Grading Is Done

Grading is done by USDA professionals throughout the country. They follow strict guidelines to ensure all meat is graded equally. Livestock graders who work for the USDA undergo vigorous training and education to earn their qualifications.

Graders take their time to evaluate the characteristics of the meat. First, they look at the marbling or streaks of fat between the muscle fibers. Next, they consider the animal’s age and analyze the meat texture to ensure consistent quality ratings.

After grading, the meat is processed and sent to your local butcher or supermarket. Often, the best grades are sent to butcher shops like The Flying Butcher first. These specialty markets put in their orders in advance to get the finest cuts first.

Pick the Right Grade

When it’s time to choose the ingredients for your meal, visit your local butcher. You’ll find the meat grades you need to create the perfect versions of your recipes.

It’s important to understand what style of meal each grade pairs with. Prime is perfect for special meals where the meat is the star of the show. Choice is versatile for most dishes, and Select shines in slow-cooked or marinated recipes.

The team of meat experts at your local butcher is there to help you if you need it. They will prepare and trim each cut to your liking. Visit The Flying Butcher today to get the right grade and cut for your meal.