Making the Grade
Beef is graded by the USDA according to standards for quality. Quality is rated according to the age of the animal, the amount of fat flecks, or marbling, found in the lean meat, and the texture, color, and appearance of the lean meat. The grades most familiar to consumers are Prime, Choice, and Select.
• Prime is the most tender, juicy, and flavorful. It has the most marbling of the grades. It is usually sold to hotels, restaurants, gourmet markets, or butcher shops.
• Choice is the most widely available grade found in supermarkets. It has less marbling than Prime, but is also tender, juicy, and flavorful.
• Select has uniform quality and slightly more lean meat than the higher grades. Because it has the least amount of marbling, it may be less juicy and slightly less flavorful.
Poultry grades indicate that the poultry does not have defects—bruises, discoloration, and feathers. Bone-in products should not have broken bones, and products with skin should not have tears or exposed flesh that will dry out during cooking.
• Grade A is the highest quality and is probably the only grade you'll see in retail stores.
What's in a Name?
The following are terms you may find on meat labels.
• Aged meat has been stored three to six weeks at temperatures between 34° and 38° at low humidity. The longer meat ages, the more flavorful and tender it becomes.
• Organic meat and poultry is from animals that have not been given antibiotics or growth hormones. The farm that produces the food must be inspected and labeled as organic by a government-approved certifier.
Is It Ready?
When cooking steaks, make sure you use tongs to turn them and not a fork. When you pierce them with a fork, you'll lose some of the juices that keep the steaks moist. Try the touch test to check for doneness. With the touch test on hot meat, remember to protect your finger with a paper towel or use the back of a spoon.
• Rare: The meat gives easily when pressed, and juices do not appear on the surface.
• Medium: The meat feels firm, but is somewhat spongy, and juices are beginning to appear on the surface of the meat.
• Well done: The meat is covered with juices, is firm, and does not yield to pressure.
"A Cut Above" is from the March 2008 issue of Southern Living.
