What is the difference between Certified Angus Beef and non certified regular beef?!
Answers: My husband had me buy only Angus before, but I made tacos with the non-Angus last night and I can't tell any difference in taste. He didn't say anything either. I did notice there was a lot less grease to drain from the pan with the "cheap" stuff. Is this just another gimmick?
In most American supermarkets (not Safeway or Albertson's anymore because they are pushing their own brandings of Rancher's Reserve and Blue Ribbon), beef is sold with a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Quality Grade. Most people know that USDA Prime is the best (and most expensive) beef you can buy, and it is somewhat rare to find. USDA Choice and Select grades are common in supermarkets with Select being the cheaper option. But, what do the grades mean and how are they determined?
In the United States, all beef is inspected for safety by the USDA. The USDA also provides grading services that grade beef according to quality and/or yield. Both types of grading are optional and costs the producer (rancher) some money to pay for the USDA grader to provide a grade. We'll look at quality grades in this article since these are the most influential to the consumer. Two factors are used when the USDA grades beef for quality: physiological maturity and marbling.
The maturity of a beef carcass is determined by examining the bones and the color and texture of the ribeye muscle at the 12th rib. Examining the ossification (when cartilage turns into bone) of the backbone is one of the techniques used to help determine maturity. Each vertebrae has a bit of cartilage on top in young animals. This cartilage slowly turns into bone and generally begins to ossify from the rump and gradually proceeds up the back toward the head as the cattle matures. The level of ossification and area of effect helps to determine the age of the carcass. In addition, the shape and color of the ribs provides more information about the age of the animal. A very young rib will be red, narrow, and oval-shaped. Older animals will have ribs that are greyer in color, wider, and flatter.
In addition to looking at the bone structures, the lean tissue of the ribeye will help determine the physiological maturity of the animal. In a young animal, the muscle will be a light pink-red tone and the texture will be fine. While the animal matures, the lean tissue will become darker in color and more coarse.
Maturity is rated into five groups labeled from A to E (where A is the youngest). For most cattle, the age groups are approximately (some variation from sex to sex):
A - A < 30 months
B - 30 months < B < 42 months
C - 42 months < C < 72 months
D - 72 months < D < 96 months
E - 96 months < E
Marbling is the amount of fat that is distributed within a muscle (not surrounding the muscle). When determining marbling of a carcass, the quantity and distribution of fat in the ribeye at the 12th rib is examined. Beef with higher amounts of marbling usually produce more tender, flavorful, and juicy cuts.
Angus beef comes from Angus cows.It is a breed of cow.Non Angus comes from other breeds or in ground beef it may be a mixture of different beef.
In a way. Angus is suppose to have superior marbleing (lines of fat) through out to give tenderness and great flavor. I have found it to be as you say, more grease to drain out but the flavor is great. When a piece of (steak or roast) beef as opposed to ground, that is where you really get the better end of deal.
No, I am not a rancher, but have friends who give us meat from different cattle, angus, beef master, etc.
Angus Beef-Angus are hardy, undemanding, adaptable, mature at around two years of age, and have a high carcass yield with marbled meat. They are good natured in comparison to several breeds but are more aggressive than the breeds such as the Hereford. Angus are used as beef cattle and are not used for milk intended for human consumption . They are used widely in crossbreeding to improve marbling and milking ability. Angus females calve easily (i.e. give birth without much stress), partly because of the small size of a typical Angus calf, and have good calf rearing ability. They are also used as a genetic dehorner as the polled gene is passed on as a dominant trait. [7]
As of the latter part of 2003 and early 2004, the American fast food industry has assisted in a public relations campaign to promote the supposedly superior quality of beef produced from Angus cattle (“Angus beef”). In 2005, Hardee's released the "Angus Burger" nationally in the US, Canada and in 2006 in the UK, Ireland and Spain. The Angus Burger is also a popular menu item at Canadian Harveys fast food chains. Beginning in 2006, McDonalds began testing hamburgers made with Angus beef at a number of its restaurants in several regions in the US and has said that customer response to the burgers has been positive. [8]
The American Angus Association set up the "certified Angus Beef" brand in 1978. The goal of this brand is to promote the idea that Angus beef is of higher quality than beef from other breeds of cattle. Cattle that is at least 51% black and exhibit Angus-type characteristics are eligible for "Certified Angus Beef" evaluation. However, it must meet all eight of the following criteria to be labeled "Certified Angus Beef" by USDA Graders: [9]
Modest or higher degree of marbling
Medium or fine marbling texture
"A" maturity
Yield grade 3.9 or leaner
Moderately thick or thicker muscling
No hump on the neck exceeding 2 inches
No evidence of internal hemorrhages
No dark cutting characteristics
Non Angus beef designations-Buccleuch Scotch beef originates in a designated area on and around the estate of the Duke of Buccleuch in Scotland.
Certified Angus Beef Certified Angus Beef? (CAB) is a specification-based, branded-beef program which was founded in 1978 by Angus cattle producers in order to increase demand for consistent, high-quality beef with superior taste which is cut from registered Angus cattle. The brand is owned by the American Angus Association? and its 35,000 rancher members. The terms "Angus Beef" or "Black Angus Beef" are loosely and commonly misused and/or confused with CAB; this is especially common in the foodservice industry. The brand or name Certified Angus Beef? can't be legally used by an establishment that is not licensed to do so.
Certified Hereford Beef is beef certified to have come from Hereford cattle.
Grass fed beef has been raised primarily on forage rather than in a feedlot.
Kobe beef : Cattle of the Wagyu breed raised and fattened in the hills above Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. During the fattening period, the cattle is hand-fed (using high-energy feed, including beer and beer mash) and hand-massaged for tenderness and high fat content.
Halal beef has been certified to have been processed in a prescribed manner in accordance with Muslim dietary laws.
Kosher beef has been certified to have been processed in a prescribed manner in accordance with Jewish dietary laws.
Organic beef is produced without hormones, pesticides, or other chemicals though requirements for labeling something "organic" vary widely.
The European Union recognises the following Protected Designation of Origin beef brands[4]
Spain - Carne de ávila, Carne de Cantabria, Carne de la Sierra de Guadarrama, Carne de Morucha de Salamanca, Carne de Vacuno del País o Euskal Okela
France - Taureau de Camargue, Boeuf charolais du Bourbonnais, Boeuf de Chalosse, Boeuf du Maine
Portugal - Carnalentejana, Carne rouquesa, Carne Barros?, Carne Cachena da Peneda, Carne da Charneca, Carne de Bovino Cruzado dos Lameiros do Barroso,Carne dos A?ores, Carne Marinhoa, Carne Maronesa, Carne Mertolenga, Carne Mirandesa
United Kingdom - Orkney Beef, Scotch Beef, Welsh Beef
USDA Beef grades
In the United States, the USDA operates a voluntary beef grading program. The meat processor pays for a trained USDA meat grader to grade whole carcasses at the abattoir. The carcass grade is bean stamped on each primal cut (six stamps) and applied with roller stamp to each side as well. Traces of the USDA grading stamp are sometimes visible on boxed primal cuts.
The grades are based on two main criteria: the degree of marbling (intramuscular fat) in the beef rib eye (at the 12th rib cross-section), and the age of the animal prior to slaughter. Some meat scientists object to the current scheme of USDA grading since it does not take tenderness into account. Most other countries' beef grading systems mirror the US model. Most beef offered for sale in supermarkets is graded choice or select. Prime beef is sold to hotels and upscale restaurants. Beef that would rate as Standard or leaner is almost never offered for grading.
Inspected carcasses tagged by the USDAPrime — highest in intramuscular fat. Currently, only three percent of the steaks sold are USDA certified Prime.
Choice
Select — the leanest grade commonly sold
Standard
Commercial
Utility
Cutter
Canner
Traditionally, beef sold in steakhouses and supermarkets has been advertised by its USDA grading; however, many restaurants and retailers have recently begun advertising beef on the strength of brand names and the reputation of a specific breed of cattle, such as black angus [2][3]
angus is the breed of cattle.
Old, unproductive dairy cattle go to the slaughterhouse, too and their meat shows up in hamburger and non-certified packages as beef and chuck, etc.
With certified Angus, you know what's in the package.
In meals where ground beef is mixed with multiple spices you're not likely to be able to tell any differences. The spices will usually mask the taste.
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The "Certified Angus Beef" brand is a cut above USDA Prime, Choice and Select.
Beef must pass 10 additional specifications to earn the name. In fact, only 8% of all beef meets the Certified Angus Beef brand’s high standards.
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Which is to say... that while the beef being sold may well have come from the Angus breed of cattle, it does not mean it is "Certified Angus Beef".
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There are a number other breeds of beef cattle commonly raised by the American beef industry. These would include the Hereford, Gelbvieh, Charolais & Limousin besides the Red & Black Angus.
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certified angus beef comes from an animal that has1/8 angus in its bloodline or breeding. it doesnt come from angus cattle just an animal that has angus in its breeding, also certified angus beef has more marbling which has more grease and thus beef gets it flavoring from the fat. the so called cheap stuff ground meat is just ground meat made from meat trimmings and cuts of meats that didnt sell as a cut of meat it is just ground up and sold as ground beef. if so called certified angus beef came from 100% angus cattle there would not be enough angus cattle to supply the demand thats why it comes from an animal that is known to have angus in its breeding