marbling in beef: how we stack up against usda prime

Everyone says their beef is well marbled. But how do you actually know?

At Hi Bräu, we wanted more than marketing fluff. We wanted proof. So we submitted our beef to the experts, specifically Dr. Susan Duckett, a highly respected meat scientist at Clemson University.

The results? Well, let’s just say we’ve been walking around the farm with our heads held a little higher.

first, what does “marbling” mean?

Marbling refers to the tiny white streaks of intramuscular fat inside a cut of beef. It’s a major factor in determining tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. More marbling generally means a richer, more buttery bite.

In the beef world, marbling is king, and it’s how the USDA determines beef grades.

understanding the usda beef grading scale

When you see terms like Prime, Choice, and Select at the meat counter, you’re looking at the USDA grading system.

These grades are based on two main factors:

1. The amount of marbling

2. The age of the animal at harvest

Here’s how they break down:

usda prime

• Highest level of marbling

• Only 2–3% of U.S. beef earns this grade

• Reserved for high-end steakhouses and top-tier restaurants

• Fat content: 8.56%–10.42%

usda choice

• Very good marbling

• Most common in grocery stores and casual restaurants

• Fat content: 4.99%–7.34%

usda select

• Leaner beef with less marbling

• Lower cost and slightly less tender

• Fat content: around 3.43%

Beef grades below Select do exist, but they’re typically not sold as steaks—and might be lurking in your bargain-bin burger meat.

how hi brau beef compares

We don’t go through official USDA grading. Why? Because most small farms like ours opt out of that expensive process. But with independent lab testing in hand, we can confidently compare our beef to USDA standards.

Here’s what Dr. Duckett found:

Hi Bräu Cut	Fat % (Marbling)	Equivalent USDA Grade
American Wagyu (grass-fed)	8.63%	Prime
Angus (grass-fed)	9.24%	Prime
South Poll (grass-fed)	5.0%+	Choice

Yes, you read that right. Our Angus and Wagyu steaks tested in the Prime range, and they’ve never touched a feedlot or eaten anything but pasture. Even our leanest cattle, the South Polls, earned a Choice-level rating. That’s 100% grass-fed, no grain, ever.

wait... grass-fed beef can be this marbled?

That’s usually the big shocker. Grass-fed beef isn’t supposed to be this marbled, at least not according to mainstream expectations. And truthfully, it’s hard. That’s why most U.S. beef is grain-finished, it’s easier (and cheaper) to get fat on corn.

But at Hi Bräu, we put the time, the pasture rotation, and the genetics into our cattle to do it the hard way and the right way. The results speak for themselves.

Is that marbling healthy?

Absolutely. The dominant fat in our marbling is oleic acid, the same heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found in olive oil and almonds.

According to the National Institutes of Health, oleic acid is linked to:

• Lower LDL (bad) cholesterol

• Higher HDL (good) cholesterol

• Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease

So yes, you can have your steak and eat it too.

steakhouse quality. small farm values.

We’re not just making claims, we’ve got the lab work to back them up. Whether you’re trying to eat clean, impress dinner guests, or just want to taste what beef should be like, we’ve got you covered.

You don’t have to overpay at a high-end steakhouse to get Prime-level beef. You just have to shop smart.

Try Our Prime-Quality American Wagyu

We’d love to earn a spot on your plate.