Buying Beef

What does it mean when you see USDA Prime, Choice, Select? 

Prime is also considered the highest quality grade.  It's also what is usually sold in restaurants and some specialty markets.  

Choice is the most widely available in the grocery stores.  


Select has the least amount of marbling and may not be as tender, juicy or flavorful.


Young beef with the most marbling is given the Prime or highest quality grade. Prime is usually sold to restaurants, but may be available in some specialty markets. Choice is the most widely available grade in the retail market. Select has the least amount of marbling, but may not be as tender, juicy or flavorful as Prime or Choice.

Beef tenderloin steak is also called filet or filet mignon. They are cut from the whole tenderloin.

Round tip steaks, also called 'minute,' 'breakfast,' or 'sandwich' steaks, cooks quickly but will dry out if overcooked.

Porterhouse steak differs from a T-Bone in that the Porterhouse tenderloin diameter is no less than 1 1/4 inches measured across the center compared to the T-Bone tenderloin, which is not less than 1/2 inch.

Delmonico is a fancy name for ribeye. You'll find the word Delmonico more commonly in the Northeast (the original Delmonico's Restaurant was in NYC); ribeye is the label of choice in the Southeast.