• Learn About IL Agriculture Menu
• Learn About IL Agriculture

Game Day Grilling

A Cut Above

Beef and Pork Cuts that Make the Cut for Tailgating Season

Beef

Chuck. Sirloin. Brisket. There are a lot of options in the beef case at the local grocery store or butcher shop, but not all are ideal for grilling. Here are some of the top choices that are sure to be a hit:

Loin (including sirloin – part of the loin closest to round)

• Strip steak (boneless) – tender, lean, and perfect for grilling
• Porterhouse steak – big flavor and often big enough to serve two; be sure to keep your seasoning simple
• T-bone steak – smaller than the porterhouse, but maintains tenderness and great flavor
• Tenderloin steak (filet mignon) – the most tender steak with a fine buttery texture, meets guidelines for lean
• Tri-tip roast – boneless and fairly tender with full flavor; slice across grain after grilling
• Top sirloin steak – flavorful and juicy; serve whole or cut up for kabobs
• Petite sirloin steak – a great value steak; best when marinated first

Flank

• Flank steak – lean and boneless; best when marinated first

Rib

• Ribeye steak – rich, juicy, and full of flavor with marbling throughout
  Ingredient cuts (a versatile cut that may come from any of the listed cuts)

• Ground beef – look for an 80/20 or 90/10 lean-fat ratio when making burgers (lean, but not too lean)
  Find the best beef cuts for stir-frying, slow-cooking, and oven-roasting here.

Cooking Tips

Cook a perfect steak every time:

• Season both sides
• Preheat grill using a medium-high heat
• Don’t push down or pierce the meat while cooking

How to Select Your Beef

• Beef should be a bright, cherry-red color when raw. Meat in a sealed bag typically has a darker purplish-red color. When exposed to the air, it will turn a bright red.
• Meat should be firm to the touch.
• Ensure that the package is cold with no holes or tears. Some liquid in the package is normal.
• Beef should have marbling. Marbling is the white specks of fat in the meat, and it is key to flavor.
• Check the dates on the package to ensure you buy fresh products.

Deciphering the Label

• USDA Grades: There are eight grades of beef designated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The common grades you will see labeled in the store are Prime, Choice, and Select, which are the top three grades on the scale. Grades are based upon factors like marbling and maturity, indicating tenderness of the product. A higher grade typically indicates more marbling and is more tender than lesser grades.
• Natural: Generally recognized as a product containing no artificial ingredients, added color, or chemical preservatives, and is only minimally processed (processed so the product is not fundamentally changed), according to the USDA.
• Organic: Identifies practices employed while raising or growing the product. In organic production, animals are raised in living conditions freely accommodating their natural behaviors (like the ability to graze on pasture), fed 100% organic feed and forage, and not administered antibiotics or hormones at any point during the animal’s lifetime. The organic label does not indicate that the product has safety, quality, or nutritional attributes that are any higher than conventionally raised products, according to the USDA.
• Grain-fed/Grain-finished: Cattle spend most of their lives eating grass and forage in pastures but are free to eat grain (such as corn), as well as hay and forages as they reach maturity.
• Grass-fed/Grass-finished: Cattle spend their entire lives grazing and eating from pastures. Supplemental feed may include hay and forages when grass is not as readily available. Grass-fed cattle are never offered grain as part of their diet.
• Antibiotic-free: All beef in the grocery store is antibiotic-free. When antibiotics are used, withdrawal periods are observed that allow ample time for the antibiotic to completely exit the animal’s system after it was last administered.
• Raised without antibiotics: While no beef in the grocery store contains antibiotics, this label denotes that no antibiotics were used to treat illnesses during the animal’s lifetime.
• Gluten-free: There is no gluten (originating in various grains, like wheat) in beef, except for instances where the meat may be pre-seasoned or contain a marinade.
• Non-GMO: There is no GMO beef. Genetic modification is a technique applied to plant breeding.
• Raised without hormones/No added hormones: All animals naturally have hormones, therefore all beef will naturally contain a small amount of hormones when tested. These labels are indicators that the cattle were raised with no supplemental hormones. Supplemental hormones are sometimes used with cattle to help promote healthy growth and are regulated by the FDS and USDA. Research on the effects of using hormones in livestock production have not found any impact on human health.

Pork

Pork is often overlooked when cookout season hits, but is a flavorful, affordable option when it comes to feeding a crowd. While basic bone-in pork chops are always a hit, don’t forget to consider all of the grill-ready cuts available at the grocery store:

Loin – cook all cuts to an internal temperature of 145 degrees

• Bone-in pork chops – thin-cut (½” to ¾”) or thick-cut (1 ½” to 2”), these bone-in chops carry the most flavor
  • Porterhouse pork chops – characteristic T-bone shape; originate in lower back, just behind the rib chop
  • Ribeye pork chops –originate in the center of the loin
  • Sirloin pork chops – originate in the area near the hip
  • Blade pork chops – originate from the shoulder area in beginning of loin; usually thicker and more marbled than other chops; often “butterflied”
• New York pork chops (center cut chops) – boneless, can be thin-cut (½” to ¾”) or thick-cut (1 ½” to 2”)
• Pork tenderloin – easy for larger gatherings; marinate before grilling, then remove from grill, (allow to rest 3 minutes) and slice to preference
• Loin kabobs – cut tenderloin into 1-inch cubes and marinate before grilling to create juicy, tender kabobs

Ingredient cuts (a versatile cut that may come from any of the listed cuts, but is usually from the shoulder and loin)

• Ground pork – usually a 70-30 lean-fat ratio, and makes a great burger; cook to 160 degrees
  Find the best cuts for slow-cooking, smoking, and Instant-Pot cooking here .

Marinates are key to creating a mouth-watering masterpiece. If you’re new to marinades, here are a few basics to cover:

• Fat – You want some fat in the marinade to help retain moisture and keep sharp or acidic flavors from dominating. Consider oils like olive, vegetable, or sesame, or even fats like yogurt or mayonnaise.
• Acid – Including an acid in your marinade will help weaken the surface proteins in the meat and naturally boost flavors. There are lots of options to choose from, ranging from citrus juice to vinegars.
• Flavoring – This category includes your salt, herbs, and other seasonings. Always include sale or some sodium-based product (like soy sauce) as this helps the marinade penetrate the meat and remain after cooking.
• Marinades won’t penetrate the entire piece of meat, mainly just the outer surface. Maximize your marinate by choosing thinner cuts.

New to marinading? Try these recipes:

How to Select Your Pork

• Meat should be grayish-pink in color. Look for meat with good coloring (not pale). Small amounts of liquid in the package is normal.
• Look for meat that has marbling. Marbling is the white specks of fat in the meat, and it is key to flavor.
• Look for packages that are cool to the touch and do not exhibit any damage or wear.
• Check the dates on the package to ensure you buy fresh products.

Deciphering the Label

• Natural: Generally recognized as a product containing no artificial ingredients, added color, or chemical preservatives, and is only minimally processed (processed so the product is not fundamentally changed), according to the USDA.
• Organic: Identifies practices employed while raising or growing the product. In organic production, animals are raised in living conditions freely accommodating their natural behaviors, fed 100% organic feed and forage, and not administered antibiotics or hormones at any point during the animal’s lifetime. The organic label does not indicate that the product has safety, quality, or nutritional attributes that are any higher than conventionally raised products, according to the USDA.
• Antibiotic-free: All pork in the grocery store is antibiotic-free. When antibiotics are used, withdrawal periods are observed that allow ample time for the antibiotic to completely exit the animal’s system after it was last administered.
• Raised without antibiotics: While no pork in the grocery store contains antibiotics, this label denotes that no antibiotics were used to treat illnesses during the animal’s lifetime.
• Gluten-free: There is no gluten (originating in various grains, like wheat) in pork, except for instances where pork may be pre-seasoned or contain a marinade.
• Non-GMO: There is no GMO pork. Genetic modification is a technique applied to plant breeding.
• Raised without hormones/No added hormones: All animals have naturally occurring hormones, therefore pork will naturally contain a small amount of hormones when tested. This label denotes that no additional hormones were used to raise the pigs. All pork falls into this category as federal regulations prohibit the use of added hormones in pork production, according to the USDA.

Grilled to Perfection

Identifying Degrees of Doneness to Satisfy the Preference of Every Palate

Beef

Nutrition:

• Beef provides 10 essential nutrients including protein, iron, choline, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, phosphorus, zinc, niacin, riboflavin, and selenium.
• One serving of beef is 3 ounces, or roughly the size of a deck of cards.

Cooking:

• The safe minimum cooking temperature for beef, as recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture, is and internal temperature of 145°F with a three-minute rest time. Ground beef should always be cooked to a minimum temperature of 160°F.
• Washing meat before cooking is not recommended.

Storage:

• Most sealed, raw beef products can be safely kept in the refrigerator for 3-5 days after purchase. Raw ground beef that is sealed tightly can be kept in the refrigerator for 1-2 days after purchase.
• Cooked beef products can be safely stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days after preparation.
• Beef products freeze well. Products can be frozen in their original packaging but should be transferred to airtight packaging to preserve quality. Raw beef products generally keep well in the freezer for up to 12 months. Raw ground beef keeps well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Cooked beef products should be used within 3 months.
• Always thaw meat in the refrigerator, microwave, or immersed in cold water.

Source: United States Department of Agriculture

Pork

Nutrition:

• Many cuts of pork are as lean or leaner than chicken. Six cuts of pork meet the USDA guidelines for ‘lean,’ with less than 10 grams of fat per serving.
• Pork provides 9 key nutrients and is naturally low in sodium.
• One serving of pork is 3 ounces, or roughly the size of a deck of cards.

Cooking:

• Cook chops, roasts, loins, and tenderloin to an internal temperature of 145°F, followed by a three-minute rest. Ground pork should always be cooked to 160°F, according to the USDA.
• Washing meat before cooking is not recommended.

Storage:

• Sealed, pre-packed raw pork products can be kept in the refrigerator for 2-4 days after purchase. Sealed ground pork can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• Cooked leftovers should be refrigerated within 1-2 hours of serving. Cooked pork can be refrigerated for 4-5 days.
• Pork freezes well if wrapped and sealed well (be sure to use air-tight packaging). Repackage meat into airtight storage containers or bags before freezing. Uncooked chops, roasts, and loins generally keep well in the freezer for up to 6 months. Uncooked ground pork keeps well in the freezer for about 3 months.
• Always thaw meat in the refrigerator, microwave, or immersed in cold water.

Source: United States Department of Agriculture, National Pork Board