How to Buy Quality Beef

When it comes to buying meat, a good deal is at stake. Besides finding a reliable purveyor, chefs and kitchen managers must be well-versed in grades and cuts. Should you butcher the meat or buy it precut? Unlike pasta and potatoes, meat is expensive and can drive up - not absorb - food costs.

Interest in high-protein dining also adds pressure. When more customers order low-profit items like meat instead of high-profit dishes like pasta, there's less room to make up food cost. Top-selling cuts such as tenderloin can add to food costs, which means buying quality meat is all the more important.

To get the most out of putting beef on your menu, determine the role of the protein in the menu mix. For example, don't pay for pricey tenderloin when less costly cuts such as flank steak will suffice in a salad or entrée. Similarly, think about whether the dish is a lost leader. Must it have a large profit margin? Will the meat be a special? Answering such questions will help balance the menu mix and prevent the back of the house from exceeding its desired food cost.

Know that not all cuts are created equal. A difference in quality exists from one rib eye to another, a factor that can make the difference between repeat guests and those who won't come back because the meat was too fatty and gristly. But just because the cut is beef tenderloin doesn't mean it will be a high-quality product.

Therefore, understanding the grading of meat is essential. Inspectors for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversee meat processing to ensure sanitation and safety. But it does not make grading for taste and tenderness mandatory - important factors for restaurants.