In rec.food.cooking, Mark Thorson > wrote:

> Note that the lower grades (I've seen USDA Good
> ribeye steaks in Oriental food markets) are just
> as fresh and just as healthful as any other grade.

Yep.


> The USDA grading system is based primarily on
> marbling (fat streaks within the muscle) and
> the age of the animal. If it looks good and
> it cooks up good and you like it, no problem.

Yep.

> Some people would consider reduced marbling fat
> to be a positive feature for health reasons,
> rather than a quality defect. (Of course,
> such people are not discerning foodies, but
> that's a can of worms I do not wish to open
> at this time.)

Yep.

> The main point being that the lower grades
> are not in any sense less fresh or less safe.
> They just come from cheaper animals (either
> fed more grass and less grain, and/or older
> animals such as retired dairy cows). Although
> I don't think you would ever see retired dairy
> cow meat as anything other than ungraded.
> IIRC, the highest grade such animals can
> receive is USDA Standard, no matter how good
> the meat is.

But if the meat is so dry and tough that it is best ground up for burgers,
it seems silly to crow about how low priced it is - all the prices quoted
in the thread would be somewhat high for hamburger.

--
A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.
--Edward R. Murrow