Selecting the Best Grades of Meat: Insights from ArnieTex
In this week’s Culinary Chronicles, Efren Salinas sits down with BBQ expert Arnulfo Segovia, better known as ArnieTex, to discuss the different grades of meat and how to choose the best cuts for your grilling needs. Whether you’re a seasoned BBQ enthusiast or just starting out, understanding meat grades is crucial for cooking delicious, tender meat.
Understanding Meat Grades
Efren Salinas: “All right, we’re back with ArnieTex. And this time we’re going to talk about grades of meat. I go to YouTube and I see one cut of meat that looks similar to the next one, and I’m like, well, maybe this one. What should I be thinking about?”
ArnieTex: “Well, there are different grades of meat. One of them is called ‘no roll.’ You don’t normally see that at the store; it generally goes to packing plants for ground beef and different things like that. But in the store, you will generally find Select, Choice, and then Prime. Nowadays, there’s actually a fifth one, which is Wagyu. You have regular Wagyu and then there’s A5 Wagyu, which is like the Rolls-Royce of beef. In most cases, you’re not going to get Wagyu except at high-end neighborhood grocery stores. Most of the time, if you go to Walmart or H-E-B, you’ll find Choice or Select 90% of the time.”
Choosing the Best Cuts
ArnieTex: “What you want to do is look for Prime. I’m going to give a shout-out to my friend Juan Medina, who used to be my neighbor. He taught me this little thing when I was very young and just getting into the cooking world. He used to say, ‘Arnie, if you want a good steak, buy a good steak.’ It made so much sense from day one. If you want a good quality cut of meat to be tender, buy Prime. It’s a little more expensive, but honestly, the difference from Select to Choice is just a couple of dollars. From Choice to Prime, you can find a good Prime cut for only another $5 or $6.”
Efren Salinas: “Of course, I understand we all have different budgets. Sometimes, when you’re feeding your family or friends for a big party, you might have a budget to stick to.”
ArnieTex: “Yes, it’s okay. Particularly if you’re a good cook, you can make it work. But generally, for a good, inexpensive option, Choice and Prime are your best bets. This is particularly true with fajitas. Fajitas are a big staple here in the Valley. My number one question online is, ‘How do I get my fajitas tender?’ Usually, it’s a marinade or some type of tenderizing process. But generally, if you buy Prime, it will already have a head start and be more tender.”
Stay tuned for more tips and expert advice in our Culinary Chronicles series. Whether you’re new to BBQ or looking to refine your skills, we’ve got you covered every Friday on Fox News.
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