TLDR (Too Long, Didn’t Read)

Certified Angus Beef is a private non-profit beef grading system conducted after federal inspection and grading. There are 10 quality standards that the beef must achieve in order to qualify as Certified Angus Beef. In Canada, most prime-graded (the highest federal grade) and a small percentage of AAA-graded beef meets Certified Angus Beef standards. There is a 2% chance of getting a ’tough’ Certified Angus Beef steak; this is 50% less likely than prime which has a 4% chance of being ‘tough’.

Certified Angus Beef vs. Canadian Beef Grading System

In addition to the six criteria the Canadian Beef Grading Agency (CBGA) uses to grade all Canadian beef (see our blog post on Canadian Beef Grades), the Certified Angus Beef system also considers marbling texture, tighter age constraints, consistent sizing and more strict appearance. In most cases, Certified Angus Beef has a higher requirement in the same grading category as the CBGA.

Key Differences:

• Certified Angus Beef contains medium or fine marbling texture; CBGA graded beef could contain coarse marbling texture resulting in a less consistent tenderness
• Certified Angus Beef cattle must be less than 30 months old
• Certified Angus Beef has consistent sizing from start to finish: maximum 1,100lb hot carcass weight, 10 to 16 square inch ribeye area, and 1 inch or less fat thickness. CBGA graded beef has a much wider range of cattle sizes accepted with no maximum fat thickness

What Does This Mean for You?

At the end of the day, the Certified Angus Beef standard has one goal: to distinguish consistently tender beef that has a lower chance of being tough than traditional or federally-regulated standards. Certified Angus Beef has a 2% chance of being tough compared to CBGA Prime graded beef which has a 4% chance - even the best of the best by federal standards are twice as likely to be tough.

Surf n’ Turf is proud to carry Certified Angus Beef graded products as our premium selection of beef. We have personally sampled and tested all the cuts we carry and truly believe in the superior quality it will bring to your table.

For more information, visit https://www.certifiedangusbeef.com/