Found out USDA says nearly 1 in 4 steaks at big grocery chains are blade tenderized without clear labels

I was reading through some USDA inspection reports last week and found out that almost 25% of beef steaks sold at places like Kroger and Walmart get blade tenderized. The issue is they don't always label it clearly, so customers think they're getting a solid cut when really those needle holes can push surface bacteria deep inside. My debate is: should butchers push back on this practice or just accept it as standard now that most consumers don't even know what blade tenderizing is? Has anyone else dealt with customers asking why their steak cooks differently than expected?

2 comments

2 Comments

joseph_hunt7d ago

Honestly this whole thing frustrates me so much. Tbh I had a bad experience buying steaks from a big chain a few months back and they just cooked completely wrong, turned out tough and weird. Ngl I didn't even know what blade tenderizing was back then but now it makes total sense why some store steaks come out different than what you'd expect from a regular cut. I feel like butchers should definitely push back on this because it's basically tricking people who think they're paying for quality meat. The lack of clear labeling is the real issue here, customers deserve to know what they're actually buying.

stellas567d ago

Used to think people complaining about this were just picky eaters but you're right, that blade tenderizing thing would totally mess up how a steak cooks and feels in your mouth. The grocery stores really should be upfront about it on the package.