The 10 Standards of Certified Angus Beef
Certified Angus Beef® is the only beef certified for flavor using these 10 quality standards to guarantee consistent flavor, tenderness and juiciness.
10 Standards
Marbling - The Key to Flavor
- Amount: Marbling, the small flecks of fat within the beef, is the main contributor of juiciness, flavor and tenderness. Beef with more marbling can be cooked to higher temperatures and still be juicy.
- Texture: To ensure consistency in every bite, our beef must have medium to finely textured marbling. Coarse marbling is less desirable.
Maturity Delivers Optimal Tenderness and Color
- Cattle must be less than 30 months of age by dentition and only with A-maturity lean color.
Consistent Sizing Delivers Thicker, More Uniform Cuts
- 10- to 16-square inch ribeye area: ensures more uniform cuts throughout the carcass. A heavy lip-on ribeye doesn’t always mean a large eye—it might simply be longer, with the potential to get one to two more steaks. Our “heavy” or “up” ribeye will still offer a product with consistently sized steaks, while other programs may include 16-inch or larger ribeyes even in a “light” box.
- 1,050-pound hot carcass weight or less: works in conjunction with our ribeye area specification to deliver less variation in each box, even as beef carcasses throughout the industry are larger.
- 1-inch or less fat thickness: helps control overall leanness and yield.
Appearance and Tenderness
- Superior muscling assures a premium, uniform plate presentation.
- Practically free of capillary rupture delivers a more appealing appearance.
- Not allowing dark cutters ensures consistent appearance and flavor.
- Eliminating significant Brahman influence ensures tenderness.
