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Marbling

The intramuscular fat that runs through a steak in white veins — directly determines flavor, juiciness, and price.

Marbling is the white fat woven through muscle fibers (not the fat cap on the outside). It melts during cooking, basting the meat from within. The USDA grades beef partly on marbling: Select (low), Choice (medium), Prime (high), and Wagyu/A5 (extreme). More marbling = more flavor, more juice, more money.

Related Terms

Ribeye

Heavily marbled steak from the rib primal — the fattiest, most flavorful steak on the cow.

Wagyu

Japanese-origin cattle bred for extreme intramuscular marbling — buttery, almost sushi-like beef.

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