HOw beef is graded by USDA Policy
Peck's Custom Butchering, LLC located in Dewey, OK provides our custom butchering, aging and packaging. Peck's is family owned, government certified and a very clean competent custom butchering facility.
USDA BEEF GRADING
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 (1) degree of marbling and (2) degree of maturity.
meat
Marbling (intramuscular fat) is the intermingling or dispersion of fat within the lean meat. Graders evaluate the amount and distribution of marbling in the ribeye muscle at the cut surface after the carcass has been ribbed between the 12th and 13th ribs. Degree of marbling is the primary determination of quality grade. Each degree of marbling is divided into 100 sub units. In general, however, marbling scores are discussed in tenths within each degree of marbling (e.g.,Slight 90, Small 00, Small 10).
GradeMarbling Score
Prime +Abundant 00-100
Prime °Moderately Abundant 00-100
Prime –Slightly Abundant 00-100
Choice +Moderate 00-100
Choice °Modest 00-100
Choice –Small 00-100
Select +Slight 50-100
Select –Slight 00-49
Standard +Traces 34-100
Standard °Practically Devoid 67-100 to Traces 00-33
Standard –Practically Devoid 00-66In addition to marbling, there are other ways to evaluate muscle for quality. Firmness of muscle is desirable, as is proper color and texture. Desirable ribeyes will exhibit an adequate amount of finely dispersed marbling in a firm, fine textured, bright, cherry-red colored lean. As an animal matures, the characteristics of muscle change, and muscle color becomes darker and muscle texture becomes coarser.
USDA BEEF GRADING
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 (1) degree of marbling and (2) degree of maturity.
meat
Marbling (intramuscular fat) is the intermingling or dispersion of fat within the lean meat. Graders evaluate the amount and distribution of marbling in the ribeye muscle at the cut surface after the carcass has been ribbed between the 12th and 13th ribs. Degree of marbling is the primary determination of quality grade. Each degree of marbling is divided into 100 sub units. In general, however, marbling scores are discussed in tenths within each degree of marbling (e.g.,Slight 90, Small 00, Small 10).
GradeMarbling Score
Prime +Abundant 00-100
Prime °Moderately Abundant 00-100
Prime –Slightly Abundant 00-100
Choice +Moderate 00-100
Choice °Modest 00-100
Choice –Small 00-100
Select +Slight 50-100
Select –Slight 00-49
Standard +Traces 34-100
Standard °Practically Devoid 67-100 to Traces 00-33
Standard –Practically Devoid 00-66In addition to marbling, there are other ways to evaluate muscle for quality. Firmness of muscle is desirable, as is proper color and texture. Desirable ribeyes will exhibit an adequate amount of finely dispersed marbling in a firm, fine textured, bright, cherry-red colored lean. As an animal matures, the characteristics of muscle change, and muscle color becomes darker and muscle texture becomes coarser.