Beef Quality Grades (palatability):
Palatability is the tenderness, flavor and juiciness of the meat. How it tastes.
Based on:
1. Marbling (fat flecks) within the ribeye muscle
2. Color and texture of the meat
3. Age of the animal at harvest
More marbling in the ribeye results in better tasting meat, a higher quality grade and a more valuable carcass.
Prime, Choice, Select and Standard grades are for young animals. Commercial and Utility grades are for old animals and are not seen in contests very often.
This the section on the scantron where you mark your guess at the quality grade of the carcasses.
Prime and Choice:
Top Row Left to Right:
High Prime
Average Prime
Low Prime
2nd Row Left to Right:
High Choice
Average Choice
Low Choice
Prime is worth more money than Choice. Can you see the difference in marbling within the muscle?
Select and Standard:
Top Row Left to Right:
High Select
Low Select
2nd Row Left to Right:
High Standard
Low Standard
Prime is worth more money than Choice
Choice is worth more money than Select
Select is worth more money than Standard
Standard is very poor eating quality.
