The skinny on beef

Being a carnivore isn't as easy as it would seem. We're beyond the "find meat, eat it" stage of our evolution and we're looking for high quality, flavor and texture. The hunt is different for us now—our prey is the best value (that perfect balance of price and quality) at stores and in restaurants. Unlike our ancestors, we're also particular about the cut; no self-respecting Cro-Magnon ever looked disappointed and said, "I was hoping for tenderloin." If the celebration after the hunt is taking place in our home, we want to ensure each piece is cooked to the desired doneness and seasoned perfectly. To help us through this phase of our development, two local experts offer tips, suggestions and facts on quality, cut and seasoning to make our hunt successful.

Brad Dickinson* (photo) has been with Schwartz Brothers for 25 years and is now the Executive Chef for all their full-service restaurants and catering. He covers a lot of ground with that title, but we focused in on his work with Daniel's Broiler where prime steaks and chops are served.

Larry Heigaard, Meat Specialist, has been with Metropolitan Markets for the past five years, continuing a 17-year career in the retail meat industry.

Beef inspection is mandatory in the United States, grading is not. Packers or processors pay to have their beef graded. Nine USDA quality grades exist; five are for young steers and heifers less than 42 months old. Three of these are the ones we're concerned with:

• USDA Prime—approximately the top two percent of all graded beef in the U.S.
• USDA Choice—approximately 83 percent of all graded beef
• USDA Select—approximately 15 percent of all graded beef

An animal's age, days in the feedlot, diet and genetics all play a part when it comes to the final product. Because the only known fact to a grader is age, they have to look at other factors. "An inspector looks at every side of beef," explains Brad. "They're looking for marbling within the muscle. Fat is flavor." Inspectors also look for carcass maturity, color, texture and firmness. "The thing to remember about grading is that buying ‘USDA Prime' is not a guarantee, it's simply the best insurance that you'll be getting tenderness and flavor. Every animal is different," says Brad. Larry adds, "Grading takes place at the middle break—the loin end cut of the rib. It's a job performed by humans."

Grading is important because it gives the buyer an estimate of taste appeal (tenderness, juiciness, flavor) of the beef based on what the grader saw at the packing plant. "Prime is not controllable," says Brad. "No one can say they raise only prime beef. That's why every animal has to be graded. Animals don't develop prime characteristics if they're stressed."

When buying meat for Metropolitan Markets, Larry's highest concern is consistency in quality. "We are focused on providing fine, restaurant-quality beef in our stores. If you've had a good experience at Daniel's and want to have that quality at home, you can get it at a Metropolitan Market. We offer our own line of Choice Natural Beef that is 100 percent natural; cattle fed a completely vegetarian diet. It's very difficult for retail stores to get USDA Prime beef. It's mostly sold to restaurants. We buy high-end USDA Choice beef that is as near to Prime as you can get. We look for consistency in marbling in the middle meats—rib and loin, and quality flavor in round and chuck cuts." According to Larry, approximately 20 out of every 100 animals are considered prime. Small suppliers don't have the resources to pull those 20 out and grade them differently. Although the grade on the package at Metropolitan Markets says "choice," it's very high-end choice and sometimes prime. "Buying from specific small suppliers ensures us that we're offering the highest quality to our customers," says Larry. "We know the supplier. It's a control issue for us and a trust issue with our customers. They know the meat they get from us will be excellent."

Age is a critical factor because the amount of connective tissue in the animal increases and becomes tougher the older it becomes. The tissue does not break down as well when cooked. Most cattle are slaughtered between 12 and 22 months of age.

When it comes to diet, a university study showed that cattle fed a high ration of corn for 6-9 months in the feedlot provide the most flavorful and tender products. "At Daniel's," says Brad, "we use cattle from two ranchers in the Northern Plains of the U.S. where they are finished on corn. Not all prime beef in the U.S. is finished this way, but we believe the best products do come from cattle on this diet."

Dry aged is a term often used to denote higher quality. It really has to do with yield (amount of meat from the animal) and flavor. Aging is a natural process that takes place after slaughter. Enzymes in the muscle go to work breaking down fibers and connective tissue making the meat more tender. All beef is hung in a cooler for a few days after slaughter.

When beef is dry aged it is refrigerated and exposed to the air. The water dehydrates out of the muscle so the flavor is rich and more intense. When wet aged, it is vacuum packed and refrigerated. Because beef is exposed to air in dry aging, it can shrink and bacteria will grow. When aging is complete, the bacteria must be trimmed off. Consequently, 5-20 percent of the weight can be lost. Brad explains, "After about 14 days, most of the tenderizing is done; it slows down after that point. At Daniel's we wet age for 21 days to ensure maximum tenderness. Dry aging can also impart a slightly different flavor, a subtle tang. It comes down to personal taste—some people like that flavor, some don't." Metropolitan Market sells both dry (20 percent) and wet (80 percent) aged beef. "We sell dry aged beef as a specialty," explains Larry. "It's not the norm in retail."

* Bradley Dickenson now co-owns Pearl and Koral restaurants in Bellevue.

Connie Adams/May 2005