How is Steak Graded in Australia?

• February 23, 2024
• Barry Herman
• 0 comments

In Australia, beef grading is a voluntary process that provides an indication of the quality of the animal’s muscle tissue, fat cover, and marbling characteristics. This grading helps processors and retailers determine the price for the carcass. There are two main systems used for beef grading in Australia: the AUS-MEAT grading system and the Meat Standards Australia (MSA) grading system.

1. AUS-MEAT Grading System: This traditional system rates beef on a scale from 0 to 9, with 0 indicating no intramuscular fat and 9 indicating extreme amounts of intramuscular fat.
2. Meat Standards Australia (MSA) Grading System: More commonly used, the MSA system, regulated by Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), measures several attributes including marbling, meat color, fat depth, maturity, carcass weight, and pH levels in meat. MSA grading uses a scale from 100 (no intramuscular fat) to 1190 (extreme amounts of intramuscular fat), with increments of 10. MSA-grade beef is categorized into three levels of eating quality: MSA 3-star (MSA graded), MSA 4-star (premium quality), and MSA 5-star (supreme quality).

The MSA grading system focuses on the eating quality of specific cuts, with regards to tenderness, juiciness, and flavor, and doesn’t treat intramuscular fat as a prerequisite for high-quality beef. The system was developed to ensure a consistently high-quality meat supply to the beef consumer and is based on consumer taste tests of beef produced over a wide range of cattle breeds and management practices.

These grading systems enable consumers and businesses to make informed decisions about the quality and suitability of beef for various purposes, whether it be for premium restaurant use or everyday cooking.

If you are looking for some of the best quality cuts in Brisbane, consider shopping with A Place 2 Meat butcher.