How to Select Quality Meats
When it comes to buying meat, a lot of people choose familiar cuts that they’ve cooked with before, and they tend to look for the best deals in terms of price per pound. However, there are considerations regarding quality that can make a significant difference, including how the raw product affects aspects such as food safety, flavor, nutrition, and even the cooking process.
But selecting quality meat may be daunting for some people. Not really knowing what to buy or how to word what you want could be concerning, and there may not be a great meat selection at a local supermarket. This article addresses what quality really means when choosing meat, what you should look for when shopping, and how to talk with a trusted butcher to take your meals to the next level.
Why Buying Quality Meat Matters
There are multiple reasons why buying quality meat matters. Here are some:
Consumer safety and peace of mind
Quality meat starts with safe handling and responsible sourcing, as properly raised, processed, and stored meat reduces the risk of contamination and spoilage. Buy from a reputable source to help ensure you are getting meat you can trust, that food safety standards are being followed correctly all the way from the farm to the counter that you buy it from.
Flavor, tenderness, and nutrition
The quality of meat directly influences flavor, tenderness, and even the nutritional content.
- Flavor: Well-raised meat with proper fat distribution has a much richer and more satisfying taste.
- Tenderness: The muscle structure and fat content change how easily meat breaks down during the cooking process, and this ultimately affects tenderness.
- Nutrition: Higher-quality meat often has better nutrient density and freshness.
Cooking results
Quality cuts cook more evenly and are more forgiving if you’re cooking a new cut for the first time.
Evaluate the Marbling
Marbling is an important aspect of meat quality and a key factor in meat selection.
What marbling is and why it matters
When people talk about marbling on meat, they’re referring to the streaks of intramuscular fat that you’ll find within a cut of meat. It’s not like the large chunks of fat on the outside of a cut, but fat that’s layered in the meat itself that melts during the cooking process, giving the meat a much more flavorful and juicy bite.
When evaluating marbling
Here are tips for evaluating marbling on a cut of meat:
- Look for fine, evenly distributed white flecks of fat on the meat
- Avoid cuts where the fat is only in one area of the cut
- Be careful of cuts with an excessive amount of fat and hardly any muscle
- Consistent marbling usually means better eating quality, especially for steaks and roasts
How marbling affects USDA grades
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grades meat with the terms prime, choice, or select, and it’s important to understand what these mean when choosing quality meats.
- Prime: Lots of marbling, very tender and flavorful
- Choice: Decent amount of marbling, excellent for most home cooking
- Select: Leaner with less marbling, requires careful cooking
Assess Texture and Firmness
Assessing the quality and texture of meat usually means touching it with your fingers. You should feel a slightly springy but firm texture in quality meat, and it should be moist but not slimy.
If you notice any excessive liquid pooling in the packaging, then avoid it as it’s likely a low-quality cut of meat or one that’s been left out for a long time. If it has a sticky or tacky surface that breaks apart easily, then you should also avoid it.
Consider Cuts and Purpose
Selecting quality meat can also incorporate choosing grade and cut based on your purpose for cooking the meat. There are plenty of situations where you may want to have a leaner cut of meat, such as for slow-cooking roasts, brisket, or even short ribs.
Matching the cut to the cooking method
Meat quality can also be considered in terms of the meat being a quality choice for the cooking method used. Meats like ribeye, filet mignon, and sirloin are much more suitable for quick high-heat cooking methods like searing because the higher fat content helps keep them moist, tender, and delicious.
Here are some guidelines:
- Low-and-slow methods for cuts with connective tissue
- Grilling or pan-searing for naturally tender cuts
- Roasting for balanced cuts with both muscle and fat
Buying from a Local Butcher
Look to a local butcher for transparency about where the product is sourced and how it’s handled.
A knowledgeable local butcher can also help with suggestions. You can ask about cuts based on what you want to cook, how to prepare the less popular cuts and meats, and also discover new options without breaking the bank.
A local butcher may also have a larger range of cuts to choose from compared to a grocery store.
Questions customers should feel comfortable asking
If you’re planning to buy from a butcher, then don’t hesitate to ask questions.
Ask about where the meat was sourced or how long it’s been on display. If you want to learn more about the different cuts, ask the butcher for information. Also, ask for recommendations. You can even ask the butcher how to properly store and freeze the meat.
Quality Meat From an Idaho Falls Butcher
Grand Peaks Prime Meats is a trusted local butcher, with more than 70 years in business and a reputation built on consistently providing quality meat.
We use no additives, preservatives, or dyes, and we maintain strict quality assurance standards. We provide only responsibly raised meats and offer a wide selection of cuts. We also preserve freshness with our Cryovac vacuum-sealing machine.
Trust Us for Quality Meats
Come and experience the difference in your cooking when you choose a local butcher who values quality meats and outstanding customer service.
Visit us at 520 W. 20th Street in Idaho Falls. Grand Peaks Prime Meats is open Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.