mmmmm Sounds yummy!
They have a sausage shop too
They have a sausage shop too
Noah's Ultimate Red Meat Thread
- Thread starter Liam
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Cooked a 5-rib USDA prime grade standing rib roast last weekend. Used the slow roast method (8-hours @ 200 degrees to 118 degrees...let it come up to 128 degrees then back into a 500 degree oven for crust treatment...ala Alton Brown). Awesome flavor...but for what the damn thing cost it was not as tender as I would have liked/assumed it would have been. But it was nice, since this group liked rare to medium rare, the slow cook approach turned out the most evenly cooked roast I have made to date.
that's a great method if you have the time and a group that likes the same temperature (rare, med-rare, med., ect.). I rarelly have such a group that I serve, so I usually roast at 325 for about 20 min per pound with a probe thermometer at the center of the roast (measuring for my goal of medium-rare). Those who want well or med-well can have the end cuts while those of us who know how it should be consumed can have it med-rare still.
unless it's been dry-aged for a week or two, I haven't noticed much of a difference (for roasts) between choice and prime grades...then again...I haven't had too much experience comparing the two side-by-side...
prime grade is difficult to find and pretty darned expensive.
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Of course from the bottom up, the USDA labels beef as such-
Institutional -What you think it is..
Select -Steaks, roasts, processed beef you buy in the store, unless graded as choice.
No Roll -Mostly given to choice grade subprimals as the inspector may observe a cut or mark on the meat he doens't approve of. These pieces therefore receive "No Roll" of the USDA approval stamp, the blue ink sometimes observed. The NR cuts are sold below choice price, but equal in standard despite the minor flaw(s).
Choice -Choice is nice.
Prime -USDA Prime graded beef is less than 7% of the whole picture.
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damn, took me so long to write, I forgot what I started on..
Some restraunts will buy select tenderloins, for filet dinners, as they're a HELL of a lot cheaper than choice, and of course Prime. They're so lean to begin w/, cooked properly, a select filet is just as tender as any choice piece.. Many places buy into choice programs; menu ads/ table placements / etc. (beef council has $$$$), then roll back food costs by cutting NR or even select.. Hard to fake Prime though for the most part. You buy "prime ground beef", you're an idiot. Anything can be mixed in.. But, invest in some NY strips or a fat porterhouse, and you'll get your moneys worth.
Some restraunts will buy select tenderloins, for filet dinners, as they're a HELL of a lot cheaper than choice, and of course Prime. They're so lean to begin w/, cooked properly, a select filet is just as tender as any choice piece.. Many places buy into choice programs; menu ads/ table placements / etc. (beef council has $$$$), then roll back food costs by cutting NR or even select.. Hard to fake Prime though for the most part. You buy "prime ground beef", you're an idiot. Anything can be mixed in.. But, invest in some NY strips or a fat porterhouse, and you'll get your moneys worth.
Noah I checked your CAB dealer URL and ONE store somewhat local to me showed up - a small grocery store in an adjacent town called Joseph's SuperValu.
I just now browsed through there on my way back from lunch and they had a decent selection of CAB-stickered steaks, and it looked okay, but none of the CAB-labeled meat was marked with a USDA grade. I assume it's not all Prime, is it at least all Choice? Or should it in fact be labeled, meaning I should stay away?
I have no place to buy good meat here, even the one butcher shop has nasty stuff. The general population here are uneducated cheapskates, so premium versions of anything have a hard time making it here. WalMart is the biggest meat seller here I think...I checked out the meat counter once there and found that almost all the beef in the store has MSG added to it.
I just now browsed through there on my way back from lunch and they had a decent selection of CAB-stickered steaks, and it looked okay, but none of the CAB-labeled meat was marked with a USDA grade. I assume it's not all Prime, is it at least all Choice? Or should it in fact be labeled, meaning I should stay away?
I have no place to buy good meat here, even the one butcher shop has nasty stuff. The general population here are uneducated cheapskates, so premium versions of anything have a hard time making it here. WalMart is the biggest meat seller here I think...I checked out the meat counter once there and found that almost all the beef in the store has MSG added to it.
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not sure how Noah will respond, but IMO, top sirloin is a fairly decent lower cost cut.
but whatever the cut, I think the most important thing to know is how to best prepare whatever cut you have on hand.
not much in the way of flat irons around my parts, although I do see them occasionally.
gotta remember to trim off that tough center gristly section that runs through the center.
whenever I come across them, I'll grab a hanging tender...now that's a completely under appreciated cut
- Thread starter
- #251
Noah I checked your CAB dealer URL and ONE store somewhat local to me showed up - a small grocery store in an adjacent town called Joseph's SuperValu.
I just now browsed through there on my way back from lunch and they had a decent selection of CAB-stickered steaks, and it looked okay, but none of the CAB-labeled meat was marked with a USDA grade. I assume it's not all Prime, is it at least all Choice? Or should it in fact be labeled, meaning I should stay away?
I have no place to buy good meat here, even the one butcher shop has nasty stuff. The general population here are uneducated cheapskates, so premium versions of anything have a hard time making it here. WalMart is the biggest meat seller here I think...I checked out the meat counter once there and found that almost all the beef in the store has MSG added to it.
CAB is the highest grade choice. There are three tiers of choice and CAB is at the top. If it were CAB prime it would have said prime for sure.
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- #252
Top Sirloin is the last of the "middle meats" i will eat. It's got flavor, but it lacks marbling and tenderness......
There are a ton of other cuts i would chew before a sirloin........
good for stew though
- Thread starter
- #253
lately, I've been into "flatirons". good beefy flavor like a strip, tender like a london broil, and cheap like flank steaks.
Flatirons get a Meh from me...
- Thread starter
- #256
CAB is USDA certified and is given a G1 stamp......all CAB is USDA top 1/3 choice or Prime....
I figured CAB was "certified angus beef". In which case it's a steer type, not a USDA grading.. Am I missing something?
Noah check your privates! 
That pretty much means it's the best beef available retail around here. I will try some out.
Excellent info, thanks!
This thread gets the TUT seal of approval as a truly Ultimate thread. The only other threads with such certification are TUFT and TUBBQT.
- Thread starter
- #260
Noah check your privates!
my privates are now full......
...........i'm not telling what they are full of..........