USDA Meat grades

[OlsSalt]

Having sold beef commercially for 25 years and taken about a dozen HAL cruises I can pretty well assure you most of the beef I've had is USDA choice since actual Prime makes up only 3% or less of all graded beef and is extremely expensive even on a wholesale basis.

There is a level of beef known as "no roll" thats not actually a grade...but usually falls between high select and low choice...border line,so the processor will ask the grader to "no roll" it and its sold as that. I doubt HAL would dabble with that as it can be inconsistent.

IMO the best beef available on the retail market now comes as "Certified Angus Beef". Look for the label at your grocers. Its generally all choice beef but it comes from the top 12% of choice graded beef from select breeders. A bit more costly,but nowhere near Prime prices and a generally superior product.

Happy grilling!

 

Thank you for this good background information.

[navybankerteacher]

Totally agree! Cows should be out in fields eating natural food, not confined to yards eating corn or grain, and being fed hormones and antibiotics!

No free range eggs either!

I’m afraid eating on cruise ships is more a case of making the best of it, rather than the environmentally and ethically friendly experience of eating out in the UK.

 

 

I can see preferring field-raised beef - but how is that compatible with deploring free range eggs?

[sail7seas]

Great info here,,,, thank you for helpful education seriously, good reading. :)

[KroozNut]

To me, it is the marbling of the beef that makes the difference. Well-marbled fat rules. Lean meat is good for stews, but not much else.

 

Agree 100% with this. It is the marbling (fat distribution in the meat) that makes the taste. One only has to look at a prime cut of meat next to choice or select to see clearly the differences in marbling.

[KroozNut]

It's USDA Choice. I paid attention on the kitchen tour. And I read the Pinnacle Grill menu.

 

Yep, it says so right on the menu..

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Pinnacle-Grill-Dinner.pdf

 

Although I would still love for them to go back to Prime cuts. They are just so much better!

[KroozNut]

I can see preferring field-raised beef - but how is that compatible with deploring free range eggs?

 

I believe they were saying that they disapprove of the fact that 'free range' eggs are not available on HAL, not that they deplore them. I could be wrong though..

[CineGraphic]

I believe they were saying that they disapprove of the fact that 'free range' eggs are not available on HAL, not that they deplore them. I could be wrong though..

 

 

 

Free range means that they are just on a crowded barn floor, instead of cages. Pasture fed is the way to go.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone while I probably should be working.

[rkacruiser]

djg541,

 

Thank you for your informative post. My regular grocery store sells Certified Angus Beef and I wondered for some time if this labeling is simply a marketing gimmick. (I do like the beef that I have purchased, however.)

[rkacruiser]

I wish the Pinnacle Grill would go with an à la carte menu with item pricing, and upgrade their beef to USDA Prime. Also have Kobe beef available.

 

Dining at PG should be exceptional every time.

 

No disagreement from me that dining at the PG should be exceptional every time. (But, the reality is: it isn't. At least for this cruiser.)

 

A la carte pricing? No! It isn't just the quality of the menu items served that is a PG issue, in my opinion. It is the very inconsistent service and food preparation from one ship's PG to another.

[jbhcw]

Having sold beef commercially for 25 years and taken about a dozen HAL cruises I can pretty well assure you most of the beef I've had is USDA choice since actual Prime makes up only 3% or less of all graded beef and is extremely expensive even on a wholesale basis.

There is a level of beef known as "no roll" thats not actually a grade...but usually falls between high select and low choice...border line,so the processor will ask the grader to "no roll" it and its sold as that. I doubt HAL would dabble with that as it can be inconsistent.

IMO the best beef available on the retail market now comes as "Certified Angus Beef". Look for the label at your grocers. Its generally all choice beef but it comes from the top 12% of choice graded beef from select breeders. A bit more costly,but nowhere near Prime prices and a generally superior product.

Happy grilling!

 

Thanks for the info....I always buy USDA Choice.....being taught by father and grandfather not to buy anything below that...my grandfather had a "special supplier"...who dry aged his steaks...he bought all his beef from him....even now I can remember how wonderful those steaks were!! But lately I have found USDA Choice ribeye and T Bone steaks lacking IMHO...from a certain grocery store we have in our area...making me decide to not buy anymore beef from them and wondering if it's actually Choice.....Question...is Certified Angus Beef always considered USDA Choice? I know another grocery store that uses labels other than Choice and Prime...such as Certified Angus....and there is always a price difference in each labeling of beef...

[TheEmerson]

Thanks for the info....I always buy USDA Choice.....being taught by father and grandfather not to buy anything below that...my grandfather had a "special supplier"...who dry aged his steaks...he bought all his beef from him....even now I can remember how wonderful those steaks were!! But lately I have found USDA Choice ribeye and T Bone steaks lacking IMHO...from a certain grocery store we have in our area...making me decide to not buy anymore beef from them and wondering if it's actually Choice.....Question...is Certified Angus Beef always considered USDA Choice? I know another grocery store that uses labels other than Choice and Prime...such as Certified Angus....and there is always a price difference in each labeling of beef...

 

Angus is just a cow that is 90% black. Certified Angus requires a bit more controls. https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/G1CertifiedAngusBeefProgram121317Approved.pdf

[Ergates The Ant]

I can see preferring field-raised beef - but how is that compatible with deploring free range eggs?

 

No, don’t deplore them! Sorry that they aren’t more widely available, didn’t make that clear.

It’s a big thing in the UK, more manufacturers are having to include free range eggs in products to avoid alienating customers.

Still more work to do, but better than battery hens.

[Despegue]

I think that battery hens are forbidden nowadays in the EU.

Still, nothing compares to Wagyu beef.

[navybankerteacher]

Free range means that they are just on a crowded barn floor, instead of cages. Pasture fed is the way to go.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone while I probably should be working.

 

You have defined “cage free”, not “free range” which, at least in Connecticut, means at least part of the time out of doors - where the hens scratch and pick some more variety - resulting in distinctly different eggs: firmer, brighter yellows and superior flavor.

[CineGraphic]

You have defined “cage free”, not “free range” which, at least in Connecticut, means at least part of the time out of doors - where the hens scratch and pick some more variety - resulting in distinctly different eggs: firmer, brighter yellows and superior flavor.

 

Thank you for the correction!

[High Flyer]

It's my understanding HAL's meat comes from the Double R Ranch, which is grain fed. https://www.agribeef.com/exceptional-beef/double-r-ranch/

[Ergates The Ant]

It's my understanding HAL's meat comes from the Double R Ranch, which is grain fed. https://www.agribeef.com/exceptional-beef/double-r-ranch/

Thanks for the link.

Not very reassuring. As I had read somewhere else, it looks as if the beef is subjected to unnatural feeding in ‘grow yards’ in order to increase the fat content of the meat. So consumer preference takes priority over animal welfare, and what a waste of the wide open spaces in the USA.

Free range eggs in the UK means from chickens that have access to the outdoors and spend part of the day outside, those confined to barns have to be labelled as such.

We also have readily available free range chicken, pork and bacon, as well as grass fed, ‘free range’ beef, so we certainly don’t cruise for a gourmet experience!

[Hlitner]

You have defined “cage free”, not “free range” which, at least in Connecticut, means at least part of the time out of doors - where the hens scratch and pick some more variety - resulting in distinctly different eggs: firmer, brighter yellows and superior flavor.

 

When I eat chicken or steak I try asking the food if it was "cage free," "free range," "organic (all living things are organic)," "anti biotic free," has extra "omega 3 fatty acids," etc etc. But that stupid chicken or meat never answers :(. So I just eat it and quickly decide that its very good or sucks. I will leave it to others to categorize, homogenize (that is probably a sexist term), pasteurize, radiate, etc. My only interest is "does it taste good," "is it tender" and is it properly prepared.

 

For all those folks who want to know if the animal was raised in the sun, shade, inside a barn, on a range that has only organic grass (all grass is organic), had clean air to breathe, etc. I say bless them. It is no wonder that so many in our society need to take Xanax or other anti-anxiety drugs. Between worrying about everything they eat, drink, breathe, or if they will miss the ship that stress must be overwhelming. Oh well....Life is Good :).

 

As to the Pinnacle I do not care if the FDA grades my mean select, choice, prime, or even garbage. If it tastes good, cuts good, is easy to chew, and doesn't poison me....I am a happy cruiser. But unfortunately, the steak they now serve in the Pinnacle is completely underwhelming. The meat we buy at are regular supermarket is far superior in terms of taste and tenderness. And if a real land-based steak house tried to serve what they serve in the Pinnacle they would be out of business within weeks. The only mystery (to me) is why some HAL fans (cheerleaders) keep defending the quality of what we get in the Pinnacle.

 

Hank

[fishin' musician]

When I eat chicken or steak I try asking the food if it was "cage free," "free range," "organic (all living things are organic)," "anti biotic free," has extra "omega 3 fatty acids," etc etc. But that stupid chicken or meat never answers :(. So I just eat it and quickly decide that its very good or sucks. I will leave it to others to categorize, homogenize (that is probably a sexist term), pasteurize, radiate, etc. My only interest is "does it taste good," "is it tender" and is it properly prepared.

 

For all those folks who want to know if the animal was raised in the sun, shade, inside a barn, on a range that has only organic grass (all grass is organic), had clean air to breathe, etc. I say bless them. It is no wonder that so many in our society need to take Xanax or other anti-anxiety drugs. Between worrying about everything they eat, drink, breathe, or if they will miss the ship that stress must be overwhelming. Oh well....Life is Good :).

 

As to the Pinnacle I do not care if the FDA grades my mean select, choice, prime, or even garbage. If it tastes good, cuts good, is easy to chew, and doesn't poison me....I am a happy cruiser. But unfortunately, the steak they now serve in the Pinnacle is completely underwhelming. The meat we buy at are regular supermarket is far superior in terms of taste and tenderness. And if a real land-based steak house tried to serve what they serve in the Pinnacle they would be out of business within weeks. The only mystery (to me) is why some HAL fans (cheerleaders) keep defending the quality of what we get in the Pinnacle.

 

Hank

 

Ahh, a breath of normalcy, a voice of reason... Thanks Hank, I needed that!

[KroozNut]

Ahh' date=' a breath of normalcy, a voice of reason... Thanks Hank, I needed that![/quote']

 

So did I! ;):)

[freestyling]

I agree with some of Hlitner’s post #68.

He states that if it taste good, cuts good , easy to chew and doesn’t poison him then he’s a happy cruiser.

When I eat a steak at the PG I’m a happy cruiser as I find the taste ..good, easy to cut...easy to chew and to date I have not be poisoned!

[navybankerteacher]

All this talk about disappointing steaks confirms my view that it is best to do your steak eating at home. Steak is the easiest thing to cook; and buying your favorite, top quality, cut is so much less expensive that letting restaurants overcharge for their questionable choices and haphazard cooking.

 

When we eat out, on ship,or ashore, we look for dishes which we are less likely to want to prepare ourselves - either because of laziness or lack of expertise.

[rkacruiser]

It's my understanding HAL's meat comes from the Double R Ranch, which is grain fed. https://www.agribeef.com/exceptional-beef/double-r-ranch/

 

Thanks for your post. What I read contradicts the environmental sustainable reasons that HAL has stated for changing from Sterling Silver to Double R Ranch.

 

My assessment: The PG beef today is not the quality/flavor/tenderness that it was when Sterling Silver was the provider.

[AncientWanderer]

When I was a kid, the steaks we ate were properly aged, prime grade beef -- delicious. Whatever they are serving on HAL is not that.

[Sue from Canada]

I was on the Rotterdam last month. The steaks in the Lido were very nice and tender - had them 4 times over 19 days.