Remember when USDA graded on the hook not the rack?

Was breaking down a steer last Thursday and got thinking about how things used to be. 3 years ago my old mentor Frank showed me how to judge fat cover and marbling while the carcass was still hanging. Now everything comes in cryovac boxes and you dont even see the whole animal half the time. I feel like the younger guys in this shop dont know what theyre missing. Anyone else miss when you could pick your own primals instead of getting whatever the supplier sends?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_derek14d ago

You said "the younger guys just shrug and say the scale makes up for it" - man, have you ever had one of them actually watch you break down a whole side and get why the trim percentage matters more than just hitting weight?

grantp2814d ago

You never even see the whole animal half the time" - man that hits hard. I remember when you could walk through the cooler and pick your own carcasses based on what you needed, like if you wanted something with a specific fat cap or a certain yield. Now it's all pre-portioned and vacuum sealed and you just have to trust the numbers on the box. The younger guys in my shop don't get why I'm annoyed when the supplier sends primals that are trimmed too heavy or cut wrong. They just shrug and say it's fine because the scale makes up for it. But it's not just about weight, it's about knowing your meat and being able to call the shots on what you're working with. I bet Frank would have some choice words about this shift.