Beef has been in the news lately. Prices are rising. Supplies are tighter. And there are plenty of questions about where beef comes from and what shoppers can expect to find at the store.
That has led many of our customers to ask:
“Is anything changing at Palmer’s?”
The short answer is no. Here’s why.
Before beef reaches the market, it is graded based on characteristics that affect tenderness, juiciness and flavor — including marbling and maturity. Most beef sold in the United States is graded USDA Choice or Select.
Certified Angus Beef® goes further. Beef must first meet high USDA standards and then satisfy the brand’s additional quality specifications. Only a small percentage of beef qualifies. That’s why Palmer’s chooses it.
Certified Angus Beef® is more than a name on a label. Every cut must meet 10 exacting quality specifications, including standards for:
If the beef misses even one specification, it doesn’t qualify. There are no shortcuts, substitutions, or “close enough.” Markets may change. The standard doesn’t.
Labels can be confusing. “Imported,” “Angus,” and “USDA Choice” describe different things — and none, by itself, means the beef qualifies as Certified Angus Beef®.
USDA Choice covers a broad range of quality. Certified Angus Beef® considers only the higher end of Choice and Prime. The beef must come from Angus-influenced cattle and then pass all 10 of the brand’s specifications. Select and lower grades do not qualify at all.
Imported beef is a question of origin, not necessarily quality. Certified Angus Beef® can come from approved producers in the United States or Canada. But imported commodity beef — or any beef simply labeled “Angus” or “Choice” — cannot carry the Certified Angus Beef® name unless it has passed the same certification process and met every one of the brand’s standards.
Put simply: Choice is a grade. Angus refers to the cattle. Certified Angus Beef® is a complete quality standard.
Palmer’s commitment to quality dates back to 1850, when Levi Palmer founded our business. Certified Angus Beef® came along generations later, but it reflects the same belief that has guided us from the beginning: offer food we would be proud to serve at our own table.
That commitment is also behind the Levi Palmer Dry Age Room, where selected cuts are aged under carefully controlled conditions and watched over by our experienced team. You can see the process through the glass during your next visit.
Prices and availability may shift throughout the beef industry, but we aren’t lowering our standards in response. We’re committed to offering a high-quality product at the best possible value. When you choose Certified Angus Beef® at Palmer’s, you can count on the same carefully defined quality every time.
Whether you’re choosing steaks for the grill, a roast for Sunday dinner, or ground beef for Tuesday-night burgers, you’ll find beef selected with the same care today, next week, and the next time you visit.
Stop by 900 Jefferson Road and talk with one of our butchers. We’ll show you what makes our beef different and help you choose the right cut for your table.
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