Different Grades of Beef | USDA Grades of Beef - The Old Homestead (2024)

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Why is it that a beef steak at a food-chain restaurant tastes so much different from a steak at the best steakhouse in New York City? This may sound obvious based on how we phrased it, but there are many factors at play here. As the pinnacle of luxury steakhouse dining, The Old Homestead Steakhouse has been around the block long enough to know how to elevate the joy of steakhouse eating! We source only but the best grades of beef, to ensure that your steak-eating experience is not only memorable, but satiable in every sense of the word. As a way of educating our loyal and soon to be customers, today, we would like to discuss the different grades of beef and what that means for your steak.

Understanding The Marketplace

In the marketplace as we know it today, there is greater value for higher-quality grades of beef. Far too often, consumers are thrown off by the difference, but they are not alone. Many professionals in this space find that beef producers can get quality and yield grade mixed up, leading to unrealized gains. A University of Missouri Extension AG business specialist, says the terminology of quality grade and yield grade are typically used interchangeably to describe cattle, but they do differentiate the two carcass traits. Morris went on to say that “beef producers, and those thinking of entering value-added beef enterprises, need to recognize the difference and how each is utilized in the cattle industry. Knowledge of how quality and yield grades are applied may increase profitability.” Trust us when we say it, as the best steakhouse in New York City, we have become proficient at navigating the marketplace for quality cuts. Now, let’s move onto the next point of discussion.

Knowing The Grades of Beef – USDA Grades of Beef

On the topic of quality grade, it’s all about the eating experience of beef. According to USDA, quality grades are contingent on two main criteria– the degree of marbling or intramuscular fat in the beef, and the maturity or estimated age of the animal at slaughter. In total, there are 8 quality grades: Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner. They have been consistently used by the beef industry since 1927. Of the 8, the first three, (Prime, Choice, and Select) are the most commonly recognized by consumers and are considered food-grade labels by USDA. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service offers the following definitions of all eight grades for both beef producers and consumers:

• Prime: Prime beef is produced from young, well-fed beef cattle. It has an array of marbling and is generally sold in restaurants and hotels.
• Choice: Choice beef is high quality, but contains less marbling than Prime.
• Select: Select beef is very uniform throughout, especially in quality and how lean it is. It is fairly tender, but since it has less marbling, it may lack some juiciness and flavor, compared to higher grades.
• Standard and Commercial: These grades of beef are most often sold as ungraded or store-brand meat.
• Utility, Cutter, and Canner: These 3 beef grades are seldom, if ever, they might occasionally be sold in the retail space. But more often than not, they are utilized to make ground beef and processed products like canned soup or frozen meals.

Determining Beef Yield Grade

Through our yield grades, individual animal value is determined, which also affects profitability. Producers can use these USDA yield grades to market their cattle. Yield grade, simply put, is an estimate of the percent retail of the four primal cuts of beef, including the chuck, rib, loin, and round. Take a look at how the following traits are used for identifying yield grade:

• Backfat Thickness (BF): When determining carcass yield, back carries the most influence. A USDA grader will determine the overall thickness of fat based on the total fat of the carcass.
• Rib-Eye Area (REA): The rib-eye area contains muscle situated between the 12th and 13th ribs. The area is noted in square inches and measures between 11-15 square inches.
• Kidney, Pelvic, and Heart Fat (KPH): The estimated percentage of kidney, pelvic, and heart fat is the internal fat around the organs. Most carcasses host anywhere from 1.5% to 4%.
• Hot Carcass Weight (HCW): The hot carcass weight consists of an uncooled carcass, except for the hide, head, and all internal organs. For most fed cattle, the dressing percentage will be about 63% of the live cattle weight.

After the assessments have been finalized, the yield grade is then given a USDA yield grade from 1 to 5. A yield grade of 1 offers the largest amount of beef, where a yield grade of 5 will offer the least.

The Best Steakhouse In New York City: Consuming High Grades Of Beef At The Old Homestead Steakhouse

Now that you have received a debriefing on the basics, you are that much more prepared to pay us a visit at The Old Homestead Steakhouse, the best steakhouse in New York City. We hope that you garnered a greater appreciation for the different grades of beef, as this is highly indicative of the type of steak-eating experience you will have. Feel free to look at our online menu or contact us today to book a reservation!