The quality and yield vary according to each breed of cattle, and while proportions of muscle is high with relatively little fat, sometimes young male cattle are castrated so as to accelerate the fattening process. Uncastrated males do grow more rapidly when not castrated, and can therefore be slaughtered at a younger age, but the meat from them is often criticized for having a lack of flavor. Young bullocks are also a source of meat, and heifers not required for breeding are often slaughtered for the tender, flavorful meat they provide. Grass-fed beef is considered to have the best flavor, although most cattle are intensively reared on grain.

Popular breeds of beef cattle include France's Charolais and Limousin, Scotland's Aberdeen Angus, the Hereford from England, Belgium's Blanc-bleu, and the Wadakin from Japan. Japan also produces Kobe beef, the world's most expensive beef. Kobe beef cattle are fed a diet of soybeans, rice, rice bran, and beer and given daily massages, and have 2-3x the fat of prime U.S. beef.

Meat packers pay to have their product graded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), who base their grading on conformation (proportion of meat to bone), finish (proportion of fat to lean), and overall quality. From highest to lowest quality, the eight USDA grades of beef are Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner. The grade is stamped within a purple shield at regular intervals on the outside of the beef carcass with a harmless vegetable dye. This grading is not required by law, instead, some packers use a private system to give different brand names to different grades. However, all beef is inspected to guarantee its wholesomeness, to ensure it is not diseased, and its clean and fit for human consumption. This is required by Federal law and indicated with a round stamp.

Prime grade beef is usually reserved for fine restaurants and quality butcher shops (Only about 2% of graded beef is Prime), while Utility, Cutter, and Canner grades are generally only used for sausages and in cured and canned meats.

Beef tends to be at its best in both texture and flavor between the age of 18-24 months. When older than 2 ½ years, the meat is usually classified as "well-matured beef," and tends to be tougher and have a darker color.

Cuts of beef vary according to countries and regions, but classic American cuts include Chuck, Flanken-style ribs, ribs, back ribs, short loin, Porterhouse steak, tenderloin, sirloin, round, boneless rump roast, round teak, hind shank, flank, flank steak roles, short plate, brisket, and fore shank, and the classic French cuts include Collier (neck), basses-cotes, jumeau, macreuse, plat de cotes decouvert (uncovered ribs), plat de cotes couvert (covered ribs), gite de devant, gite de derriere, entrecote, hampe, poitrine, faux-filet, filet, havette, flanchet, romsteak (rump steak), aiguillette baronne, rond de tranche basse, tranche, gite a la noix, and queue (tail). There are many more cuts available from butchers and supermarkets, with the emphasis being on boneless portions that require minimum preparation and allow the most flexibility in choice of cooking method. The cuts derive from carcasses, partial carcasses, primals, and fabricated cuts.

The choice of cut essentially comes down to the cooking method and type of dish being prepared, with the hindquarter providing "noble" cuts that can be cooked quickly, and the forequarter offering tougher pieces which often require slow-cooking and boiling.

One common offering from beef is ground beef, or mince beef, often used to make everyday dishes like hamburger or meatballs. It is usually made from less tender cuts such as stewing beef (hind shank or neck) or silverside (bottom round), which has been trimmed of its excess fat. It is almost always labeled when prepared from superior pieces of meat.

Ground beef can be stored up to 2 days when refrigerated, where as most other cuts will remain good for 3 days, and it can be frozen for up to 3 months, where as most solid cuts remain good for up to 6 months. One should try to let the air circulate and keep the meat's surface mostly dry so as to inhibit the rapid growth of bacteria. It is now recommended that any pre-ground beef be cooked to 160F so as to kill off any harmful bacteria.

Beef cattle also provide offal, or edible variety meats, including heart, liver, kidneys, and brains. Additionally, offal meats including tongue, ox tail, bone marrow, and tripe are highly regarded in gastronomic circles.

When choosing beef, one should look for meat that is bright red and shiny in appearance, firm and springy to the touch, with a sweet, light scent. It has white or yellowish fat, which is described as marbled when in abundance. Excess juice in the package may indicate the meat has been previously frozen or thawed. Beef must be matured for a few days to a week after being slaughtered in order to be more tender and palatable, though in modern times this process often takes place in the wrapping in which consumers purchase meat at the market. When meat has not had enough time to soften, it is called "green meat," and is tough and relatively flavorless. This is generally not a problem unless the meat is frozen while still green.

The problem of BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis), commonly known as "Mad Cow Disease," has prompted a major review of cattle rearing and slaughtering in recent years, and led to a decrease of beef consumption in some parts of the world.

Common preparations for beef include boiling (Austria's Tafelspitz), pot roasting (Germany's Sauerbrauten), frying (Japan's teriyaki), stuffed (beef olives), casseroled (Flemish carbonnade), pied, pickled (Irish spiced brisket), twice-cooked (rissole), or baked inside pastry (England's beef Wellington). It is even eaten raw (carpaccio, tartare), or made into an old-fashioned invalid drink (beef tea). Basically, it comes down to combining the right cooking technique with the right cut, with tender cuts best when roasted, grilled, or cooked rare, and tougher cuts broken down with long cooking and moist heat.

In cooking beef, one should remove the meat from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before cooking. It will be more tender if cooked steadily in a moderately hot oven, as opposed to being cooked rapidly in a hot oven, though this process isn't required if the meat being cooked is such as a tender prime roast.

An average portion of boneless meat with little or no fat is about 5-7 ounces, while one should allow about ½ pound per serving for bone-in meat that has a little fat at the edge. Very bony cuts such as shank and ribs have proportionally little meat and require about 1 pound per serving.

The most reliable test for doneness in roasting is with a meat thermometer, inserted in the center of the meat away from any bones. Large cuts of meat can also be tested with a metal skewer inserted into the thickest part of the meat. Withdraw the skewer and if it is warm to the touch the meat is rare, and if it is hot, the meat is well-cooked. Prime rib is recommended for roasting, but other options include boneless prime rib, fillet of beef, and whole strip.

A thinly-cut slice of beef (3/4" - 3") can be called a "steak," but it needs to be a good cut to be a quality steak. Quality steaks come from the loin or rib section, such as with a strip steak (also called shell, club, New York, or top loin), T-bone, and Rib-eyes. Some obscure cuts such as hanger or skirt steak can also make good steaks, but they can be harder to find for over-the-counter purchase. Flank steaks and steaks simply labeled "sirloin" and sold bone-in or bone-out are flavorful but generally chewier than choice cuts, These tend to be better when marinated and grilled, then cut into slices. Chuck can be used for a steak but is almost guaranteed to be very, very chewy, and is much more suited for grinding or cooking with liquid. When grilling a steak, one should leave a little fat on which can be slashed off at regular intervals to prevent the steak from curling up during cooking. Rare steaks will measure 120-125 Fahrenheit, while medium-rare to medium measure 130-150F, and anything above is generally considered well done.

Short ribs should be cooked in liquid until very tender, and their flavor will intensify any liquid surrounding them, but they can also be grilled if tougher texture is desired.

Chuck, brisket, round, and rump are all good cuts for braising and stews, though the cooking time varies from one cut to another. The meat should be cooked slow, and it's alright if it finishes ahead of schedule as its flavor will get better over time.

Beef should always be carved against the grain to shorten the fibers and make them more tender. A sharp knife is vital to carving, and should have the right shape for the roast being carved, such as with a pointed end for roasts so as to easily cut the meat away from the bone. The beef should also be covered in foil and allowed to rest in a warm place for about 10 minutes so as to allow juices to distribute evenly through the meat. The juice which has moved to the center of the meat during cooking will filter back evenly through the meat so it wont be dry at the edges. Resting the meat also allows its texture to become more relaxed and softer, therefore allowing it to be easier to carve and more tender to chew. Bad carving can destroy the texture, taste, and luscious appearance of even high-quality meat. The juices that run out of beef during carving should be saved for adding to gravy or sauce.

When beef is good and succulent, little is needed in the way of added flavors. That said, beef is often accompanied by a wide assortment of foods. When served French-style, common accompaniments include dauphine potatoes, artichoke hearts filled with mushrooms, braised lettuce, sautéed tomatoes, potato croquettes, and stuffed mushrooms, while other styles of cooking may call for roast potatoes, roast parsnips, Yorkshire pudding, mustard, black pepper, basil, beer, béarnaise, bordelaise, carrots, chiles, chives, corn, hazelnuts, onions, orange, parsley, prunes, scallions, shallots, soy, balsamic vinegar, wine, escarole, morels, parsnips, ratatouille, red cabbage, spinach, or horseradish sauce. Common French-style garnishes include du Barry, bouquetiere, forestiere, and Richelieu. The herbs commonly best suited to beef are basil, thyme, sweet marjoram, summer savory, and rosemary.

References:
Larousse Gastronomique; 2001; Pages 95 - 99
Culinary Artistry; 1996; 95, 295
Food Lover's Companion; 2001; Page 47
Cooking for Dummies; 2nd Edition; 2000; Pages 307 - 308
Encyclopedia of Cooking Skills & Techniques; 1999; Pages 34, 37
The Cooking Enthusiast; 2000 ; Pages 144, 156
How to Cook Everything; 1998; 423, 425, 432-434
Professional Cooking, 4th Edition; 1999; Page 195 - 197
Joy of Cooking; 1997; Pages 646 - 647
Barnes & Noble Essentials of Cooking; 2001; Page 51
Oxford Companion to Food; 1999; Pages 67 - 68