packaging the meat in an impermeable, skin-tight wrapping or use chemicals and antioxidants.

For example, antioxidant nitrites in sausages keep the meat bright red.

We all know that cooking also change the color of meat but we consider this a positive

change. Browning meat quickly in a hot pan converts the red myoglobin to the tan-colored

pigment called hemochrome. This color change takes place at 140°F (60°C). It happens to be that

this is the temperature of a medium-rare steak. At this temperature both the red myoglobin and

tan-colored hemochrome are present in our meat and the mixture of the pigments results in

pink—the color of a medium-rare steak. Once you bring the meat to 175°F (79°C), you have

converted all the red pigments and the meat color turns a rich sienna brown of a well-done roast.

Grading

Meat that you find in retail has a grade assigned by the Department of Agriculture.

Grading is optional but meat inspection for wholesomeness, safety and correct labeling is

mandatory. The sign that you may see on some packages in American markets "Inspected by

USDA" is a meaningless gimmick. All meat is inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

For beef, the USDA uses an eight-level grading system, but only the top three grades

reach retail displays. Actually, for all practical purposes, you only find two grades at your

butcher. Only exclusive butcher shops and better-class food service establishments carry the

highest grade, Prime beef. Butchers can special-order Prime beef for you if you can pay for it,

but few ever carry it on a daily basis. Only 1 percent of the total beef in the U.S. is Prime grade.

Choice is the next grade level, the most common grade available at the supermarket. This

grade makes up 45 percent of all beef sold. Beef that is graded Select, the third grade, isn't very

tender and lacks good marbling. Supermarkets often sell this grade under their own grading

system (for example, they may call it Good grade but meat departments choose any fancier

name they want). The Select grade makes up 21 percent of beef sales.

Meat canners often use the lower Select grade meat. Only meat packers and processors

use the remaining five grades below Select. There is also beef that is not possible to grade for

some reason or other, this is called No Roll (named so because the inspectors don’t roll their

stamp on the meat).

The beef that cattle ranchers raise for Prime grade stay longer on the grain feed lot, so the

meat becomes well-marbled and turn absolutely tender. If the ranchers raise them for Choice,

they get a shorter period for munching on grain. That tells you why the price of Prime beef is

about 15 to 25 percent more than the same cut of Choice. Select grade is 10 to 15 percent

cheaper than Choice. When shopping, pay attention to grades marked on meat packages, not only

to prices and appearance. What if there is no grade designation on the package? That almost

certainly means a low-grade meat.

Grades of veal and lamb are similar to beef. For both types Choice is the most widely

available grade, but if you can afford Prime, it is worth hunting for or special ordering it.

Even though the grade of meat is an important factor in its quality, there are many steps

in the process from hoof to pot that give plenty of opportunity for mishandling. Problems

anywhere along the line, for instance, not chilling it at the optimum rate in the processing plant,

impacts the quality of the meat greatly. It takes a lot of knowledgeable people to guarantee the

flavor and consistency of that piece of meat on your plate. The grade of the meat is easy to check

but it is impossible to know how the long line of hands dealt with it until it reached you. The

reputation of your butcher or meat market is your only hope.

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