newetong blog

Steaks are a staple in your home. Your family loves them and you try to get them the best quality at the best price available. But it seems like every time you purchase steaks at the supermarket or butcher, they are tough and not very flavorful. What is the problem and what can you do to alleviate this issue?

Personally I love Kobe beef, but we know that lovers of all kinds of steaks spend a great deal of time and money to insure that what they are eating and serving their family and friends are the best steaks available. But no matter what you buy or how you cook your steaks, they just do not come out as tender and flavorful as they do when you order from your favorite steakhouse. What happened?

The United States Department of Agriculture, unknown by most people, does not require that meat purveyors label their beef according to grade. It is a voluntary system where, it seems, they will grade their steaks higher than in actuality. But then there are also those meat manufacturers who will pay for certified graders to come in and grade their beef and then tag the meat accordingly.

There are eight different and very distinct grades of meat in the meat grading system. USDA Prime beef is the highest with utility beef grade being the lowest. Of course, because USDA Prime beef is the top quality graded beef on the market today, it usually demands top prices when you purchase USDA Prime steak. Normally sold to the restaurant industry and specialty stores, it is rare to find this grade of steaks at your supermarket.

When looking for steaks, you should always be aware of the color and texture of the meat. Steaks should be bright in color, look moist and be firm when pressed. Also, there should be marbling of fat throughout the meat. Although many people do not want any fat in their meat, very thin streaks of fat throughout steaks ensures the most tender, moist and juicy steaks available.

In USDA Prime steak, aging is very desirable and creates an intensity of flavor while tenderizing the meat in a way that is incomparable to any other grade of steaks. Yes, the steaks can be a bit more expensive, but for the steakhouse lover, there is no substitute. And if the meat is bought in larger quantities online, there will be a considerable savings per pound as well as saving on shipping costs.