How to Buy Wholesale Meat

Tender cuts of meat are in higher demand than their less-tender alternatives.

When purchasing wholesale meat, you'll want to take into consideration the meat's quality, nutrition and cost. You'll also want to factor in how much you'll need and the cut you want.

Quanitity

Before placing an order, determine how much meat you'll need to store in your freezer and how much storage room you realistically have. You also need to figure out how much meat you'll be using immediately.

Inspection

If the meat you purchase has passed an inspection, it will be stamped with a round, purple stamp that says, "U.S. INSP'D & P'S'D." If the particular cut of meat you purchase doesn't have this stamp, you should be able to find an inspection sticker on the label.

Grade

The grades of meat are: USDA Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter and Canner, with Prime being the highest grade. Regardless of the grade of meat, certain cuts will always be more tender than other cuts. For example, rib and loin cuts will be tender, while shoulder, leg and flank cuts will be less tender. Tender cuts are in higher demand.

References

• AMS USDA Gov: How to Buy Meat