For e.g MB3+, what does this mean when referring to a steak?
In: Biology
In general, most steak grading systems simply judge the amount of marbling in the steak (tiny streaks of fat running through the meat). Low or no marbling gets the lowest grade in whatever system you prefer; very clear marbling running throughout the entirety of the meat gets the highest grade; anything inbetween forms the spectrum of the grading system.
You might read other answers and think “That doesn’t make sense. Fat is BAD.” In a way, yes. TOO MUCH fat is problematic, but so is a complete lack of fat.
Ideally, you want *thin streaks* of fat. Of course, too much fat is just plain gross. Just the right amount of fat makes the meat juicy, flavorful, and tender when cooked, and is therefore graded highly (Prime or Choice). Meat with little to no fat turns out dry, bland, and tough, and receives a lower grade.
Your question about the grade of MB3+ seems simple, but is surprisingly complex and annoying to find a answer for. Different countries/organizations have different methods of grading beef. To provide a better answer, I need more context.
From USDA website on beef grades:
* Prime Grade is produced from young, well-fed beef cattle. It has abundant marbling and is generally sold in restaurants and hotels. Prime roasts and steaks are excellent for dry-heat cooking (broiling, roasting, or grilling).
* Choice Grade is high quality, but has less marbling than Prime. Choice roasts and steaks from the loin and rib will be very tender, juicy, and flavorful and are, like Prime, suited to dry-heat cooking. Many of the less tender cuts, such as those from the rump, round, and blade chuck, can also be cooked with dry heat if not overcooked. Such cuts will be most tender if “braised” — roasted, or simmered with a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered pan.
* Select Grade is very uniform in quality and normally leaner than the higher grades. It is fairly tender, but, because it has less marbling, it may lack some of the juiciness and flavor of the higher grades. Only the tender cuts (loin, rib, sirloin) should be cooked with dry heat. Other cuts should be marinated before cooking or braised to obtain maximum tenderness and flavor.
* Standard and Commercial grades are frequently sold as ungraded or as “store brand” meat.
* Utility, Cutter, and Canner grades are seldom, if ever, sold at retail but are used instead to make ground beef and processed products.
Or to keep it short,
– Prime: The best commercially available grade. Tender, juicy and flavorful. Great for steaks and amazing for burgers. Grass fed Prime offers amazing flavor.
– Choice: Standard-grade supermarket meat, in most cases the high-end supermarket beef. Believe it or not Omaha Steaks is basically Choice or less grades.
– Select: Walmart, pre-packaged bigbox frozen hamburgers, McDonalds, Burger King, etc.
– Cutter: Dog food, etc.
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