Grades of beef meat in USA and in France
In USA
In USA, USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) inspects (mandatory) each beef carcass for wholesomeness. Meat producers may (voluntary) request to have their products graded for quality by a licensed Federal grader.
Grading for quality means the evaluation of traits related to tenderness, juiciness, and flavorness of beef meat.
The USDA Quality Grades are (in order of lowering quality):
- Prime
- Choice
- Select
- Standard
- Commercial
- Utility
- Cutter
- Canne
The USDA quality grades labels
So if you will find in the local supermarket beef labeled “grass fed” or something similar,
best specialized beef cattle breed.
this will mean that the meat wasn't graded (though must be inspected) or was graded as Standard or Commercial grades.
Prime beef is the meat of the highest grade. It is the most tender and flavorful.
Choice beef is the meat of great quality too (in general), but is not so expensive as Prime.
Select is the sort of beef you’ll find most often at the supermarkets. usually, it is nice for most types of cooking.
Standard beef is very good for some meals which recipes imply continuous stewing or boiling. Though it is often not easy to find it in supermarkets. As well as Commercial beef, you have to search for it at specialty butcher shops.
Utility, Cutter, and Canner meat my be used to make ground beef, for cooking canned goods or for feeding your pets.
In France
The French grading system is built on a different basis. The main and only official grading level for meat quality is Label Rouge mark.
Label rouge (red-label) official mark
The Label Rouge is an official sign that attests to a level of quality meat and some other food and non-food products from deserving producers. Not each carcass is to be tested, but at all stages of production and development, the products must meet Red Label requirements defined in a specification approved by the INAO (French state National Institute for Origin and Quality).
Compliance with specifications is regularly checked throughout the production by independent and impartial certifying organizations, and organoleptic tests are carried out regularly too.
