With more than 60 different cuts of beef in the grocery store meat case, it can be confusing to know what to purchase. Let’s first start with the quality of the beef you are purchasing.

There are 8 quality grades in the U.S. meat grading system, however, only the top 3 are usually identified and sold in the retail markets. They are Prime, Choice and Select. Grading is based on the amount of marbling or flecks of fat in the lean cut.    

Cuts with the highest marbling are graded Prime and generally found in specialty meat markets or served in expensive restaurants. To grade prime a carcass will carry excessive fat that will be trimmed and discarded during processing.

Choice will have less marbling and can be found in most meat cases.  Select has the least amount of marbling of the three and can be leaner and less tender. Keep in mind that when purchasing the end cuts, such as the chuck and round roasts, the method of cooking is more important than the grade of Choice or Select. Since Grassfed Beef is naturally leaner, you can still get moist, flavorful beef that is healthier for you.