Have you ever frozen a strawberry? While you may put in the freezer a plump, brilliant red, juice-filled berry, what you take out and thaw is deflated, greyish, and mushy.

That’s because, when the moisture inside the berry freezes, it expands within the strawberry and the cell walls are broken. When the strawberry thaws, the cells simply collapse, the berry purges its juices, and it no longer retains its original shape and texture.

Now, imagine doing that to the magnificent, cherry-red steak you just bought from Lobel’s of New York.

The effects of freezing meat are not as drastic and damaging as freezing a strawberry, but the longer meat is frozen, the more significant and obvious the negative effects of freezing become.

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The first step to enjoying a great piece of beef is being able to identify a great piece of beef on sight.

So how do you compare one to another? It’s all in knowing what to look for.

To answer the call, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a system by which beef lovers can see and choose the best in its class: the USDA Quality Grading System.

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