Marbling Red Meat

The fat in lean muscle creates a marble pattern hence the name.

Marbling red meat. Graders evaluate the amount and distribution of marbling in the ribeye muscle at the cut surface after the carcass has been ribbed between the 12th and 13th ribs. Degree of marbling is the primary determination of quality grade. The actual percentage is measured by evaluating the ribeye. Cattle that are raised on grain will have more marbling than grass fed beef.

The fat makes the meat softer and easier to chew as there is simply less muscle fibre and collagen per unit volume of meat. Marbling is the white flecks of intramuscular fat in meat most notably red meat. Marbled meat is meat especially red meat that contains various amounts of intramuscular fat giving it an appearance similar to marble. Marbling is measured as a percentage of fat inside the red meat.

It is a critical factor in grading beef in the usa japan and around the world. Marbling intramuscular fat is the intermingling or dispersion of fat within the lean. Marbling is fat so it is largely determined by the diet of the animal and to a certain degree the breed of cattle. Marbling affects meat s juiciness tenderness texture and flavor attributes that determine eating experience.