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USDA beef grading is assigned to the whole carcass, so you can get any part of the cow in prime. Only cuts where USDA rating correlates with quality are typica
by gleb 17y ago
USDA beef grading is assigned to the whole carcass, so you can get any part of the cow in prime. Only cuts where USDA rating correlates with quality are typically marketed as prime/choice, typically just loin and rib-eye. You do see things like "prime skirt steak" but it's uncommon, because there won't be any difference in marbling or tenderness on that cut. For other cuts like chuck, prime is actually too fatty for many applications (e.g. try chuck @ Schaub's @ Stanford -- not good for moist cooking, could be good for hamburgers I guess).
Whole Food beef is select not choice. I can only speak for Bay Area definitively, I haven't checked out WF meat counter in Chicago. I doubt it's any different because Whole Foods has a nice high-margin gig going on what they call "natural" beef, which is USDA Select sold as a premium product on the strength of Whole Foods brand. It's a store brand with premium pricing, great gig if you can pull it off, good for Whole Foods.
- tptacek 17y agoWhen the steak in front of me is labelled "USDA Choice", it's choice. I would be surprised to find out that any of the steaks at Whole Foods are "select". I think you're just wrong about this. Yep, you can probably get "prime skirt" at Schaub's. Someone fedex me a Fred Steak, please. I'll send italian beef back in reply.
- evgen 17y agoMmmm.... fred steak. Ping me via email and let me know where you want it sent :)
- tptacek 17y agoForgot! I'm in San Francisco for the week in 2 weeks. I'll smuggle one out. =) (I'm good for Chicago food fedexed any time. Alinea hot-potato-cold-potato coming right up!)
- gleb 17y agoInteresting, must be a Chicago vs SF Bay thing, definitely no choice meat in Whole Foods here.
- tptacek 17y agoS H E N A N I G A N S. I just called Whole Foods SOMA, and they have not one but one hundred and three POUNDS of prime ribeye roast, and prime ribeye steaks cut on display. Yes, the rest is choice.