You can have the quality of meat that is normally reserved exclusively for the finest restaurants in our country. It's about time you have the quality of meat you deserve without making a reservation. We may not clean up the kitchen when you're finished but we will provide everything else you need to enjoy a five-star meal at home.

Our meat departments are proud of the high quality of meats that we carry. They include Brandt natural beef, USDA prime and choice grades, Midwestern all-natural pork, Wisconsin milk-fed veal, American lamb, and fresh air chilled chicken. With an array of specialty items such as beef, lamb, or chicken ka-bobs all marinated in one of our special sauces.

Meat - 101

What exactly is beef and how is it graded?
Beef, the meat of an adult (over one year) bovine, wasn't always as popular as it is today. America has had cattle since the mid-1500s, but most immigrants preferred either pork or chicken. Shortages of those two meats during the Civil War, however, made beef attractive and very much in demand. Today's beef comes from cows (females that have borne at least one calf), steers (males castrated when very young), heifers (females that have never borne a calf) and bulls under 2 years old. Meat packers can request and pay for their meat to be graded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The grading is based on three factors: conformation (the proportion of meat to bone), finish (proportion of fat to lean) and overall quality. Beginning with the best quality, the eight USDA grades for beef are Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner. The meat's grade is stamped within a purple shield (a harmless vegetable dye is used for the ink) at regular intervals on the outside of the bovine. USDA Prime and the last three grades are rarely seen in retail outlets. With the exception of our markets, Prime is usually reserved for fine restaurants and specialty butcher shops. Ideally, beef is at its best - both in flavor and texture - at 18 to 24 months. The meat at that age is an even rosy-red color.

Remember, grading is voluntary and is based on the amount and distribution of marbling (the white flecks of fat) within the muscles. The greater the marbling, the higher the grade, because marbling makes beef more tender, flavorful and juicy. (The protein, vitamin, and mineral content are similar regardless of grade). Most markets, as opposed to our markets, make choice the most popular grade. Only about 2 percent of beef is graded prime (advertisements for "prime rib" are likely for choice beef rib).

What is this "Kobe" beef? [KOH-bee]
A special, much-prized, exclusive grade of beef from cattle raised in Kobe, Japan. These pampered cattle are massaged with sake and fed a special diet that includes plentiful amounts of beer. This specialized treatment results in beef that is extraordinarily tender and full-flavored. This beef is rarely available in the United States. However, our efforts to shop the world for you have resulted in our offering of Kobe beef every day.