Finding a good steak cut is the first step to enjoying one of life's simple pleasures. Grilling it to perfection will take some practice to get it right. . Once you have your grilling techniques perfected, then you will be able to grill steaks that are as good as in any of these fancy steakhouses. Before you hit the grill, you will need to get to first base first by educating yourself on the choices out there in terms of steak cuts available.
Have you ever stood in front of the meat section of your local supermarket figuring out the grades of beef and what they mean? You're not alone. Here's the scoop. There are eight beef grades specified by the USDA, four of which are commonly found in the butcher's case. The grading is a voluntary process but producers implement it for the consumer's benefit. These grades offer you a good guide on flavor and tenderness of the meat. The grades are based on the age of the animal and the marbling of the meat. Marbling's are these flecks of fat visible in the meat.
Prime Beef
This is the best you can buy. This is so good and has so much marbling only 2 percent of beef earns this title. Most of the stock goes to steakhouses and restaurants but you can sometimes find it at your local butcher. When you want a really fantastic steak, hunt down some Prime. It's unparalleled in taste and juiciness. It has become easier find this because of the downturn in the economy, meaning less folks are dining out. This resulted in a supply surplus for this special cut, so on a lot of occasions, you can even buy it now from your neighborhood Costco.
Certified Angus Beef
This is not actually a USDA grade. It is a designation reserved for meat that meets strict standards for flavor, juiciness, and tenderness. Only 8 percent of beef meets this standard. A lot of people prefer it over other types mainly because the marbling comes close to Prime. It is also widely available in supermarkets and much more affordable than Prime.
Choice Beef
This is the most widely available cut and you can consider it as your second choice. The source of the meat is from young cattle and the marbling is moderate. Choice offers good value for those regular grilling occasions.
Select Grade Beef
This cut is cheaper than Choice and is also much leaner. Because it has minimal marbling, it tends to be tougher and less flavorful. It is a good idea to marinate this cut before grilling or you can just go and buy the Choice cut.
Now that you have chosen the cut you like, let me give you a quick note about aging. If you happen to visit this famous steakhouse in New York called Peter Luger, and happen to sample their grilled masterpieces, and you wonder why it taste so much better than your backyard version, one of the major reasons for it is aging. Steak gets better with age. There are two types of aging for beef, dry aging and wet aging. Both types of aging make the cuts more flavorful and tender. When you dry age, the meat is put in a cooler for 3 to 6 weeks with no wrappings. As you age it, the meat loses up to 10 percent of their weight due to evaporation, resulting in more concentrated flavor. At the same time, the muscles in the meat breaks down making it more tender. Wet aging has a similar storage process except the meat are put in airtight bags so there is no loss of moisture. It's really just personal preference when it comes to wet-aged or dry-aged beef, both enhances the quality of the meat for grilling.
And that concludes our primer. Now go out there and get that Prime cut and start grilling!!
Author Resource:
Monica is a student who is trying to make make a little pocket money promoting a random collection of sites, such as providing info on weber gas grills or the basics of how to set up a wireless security camera system .
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