Selecting the Superior Steak
Welcome to Open Range, I’m Susan Allen. Stay tuned because after the break I’ll check in with our field reporter, Greg Martin for the AgriBeef Minute.
I’m Greg Martin with the Open Range AgriBeef Minute. So just how do you find high quality cuts of beef at the local super market. Russ Casteel, Director of Meat & Seafood for Haggan Top Foods has some insight into different cuts, marbling and quality grading.
CASTEEL: The first thing I look at is marbling within the grain of the beef. A good rib eye steak or New York steak you want to look for flecks of fat within the interior part of the flesh of the meat. It gives you a more moist cut, a more tender cut when you are choosing cuts of beef.
A lot of people look for a very lean cut but the flecks of fat will ultimately give you better flavor. Casteel says they work to breed that into the cattle.
CASTEEL: It all starts with the genetics of the cattle they use. Start with the best genetics. It’s a high Angus percentage of genetics within the beef and then they’re fed on grass most of their lives and then they’re moved down to a feedlot.
They do all this to really bring the consumer a high quality, local product.
CASTEEL: We’ve partnered with AgriBeef, Double R Ranch in sourcing a local produced product - something here in the state of Washington. What it’s allowed us to do is stay green. We’re not pulling cattle from across the country so it reduces our carbon footprint in that respect but it also gives us a hands on approach.
I’m Greg Martin and that’s today’s AgriBeef Minute.
Thanks Greg. Don’t forget Greg will be back each Wednesday with the AgriBeef Minute. Agri Beef Co - Real Families, Great People, Exceptional Beef. I’m Susan Allen.
