"Select" T-Bones

[pondee]

Restaurant Depot had T-Bones, one pounders, for sale at about $8.00 a pound/each.  They were "Select".  My daughter, who went to Johnson and Wales Culinary School, advised that "Select" should be avoided.  I'm interested i the view of the members here.  Should "Select" be avoided or bought?

thanks

[Habanero Smoker]

Choice is the way to go, but some select can be as good as choice, you just need to check the marbling. And with T-bones that is very easy to do.

[Saber 4]

Choice is the way to go, but some select can be as good as choice, you just need to check the marbling. And with T-bones that is very easy to do.

X2

[tskeeter]

For the most part, I agree with your daughter.  Select grade beef usually has less fat to add flavor, juiciness, and tenderness to your cooked meat.  However, grading of meat is a continuous scale, and somewhat subjective.  So, you could have a well marbled piece of select beef and a lightly marbled piece of choice beef that are virtually identical.  Depends on the inspector doing the grading and the day of the week.

With some cuts of beef, which are lightly marbled and tender by nature, such as tenderloin, the difference between a middle of the road select grade and middle of the road choice grade may not be as obvious as with some other cuts of beef.