Marbling is the fine flecks of fat that appear within the muscles of red meat (also referred to as intramuscular fat). It’s deposited unevenly throughout the body, with most found at the front in cuts like scotch fillet, rib eye, and blade.Marbling is a term used to define the fat content inside of beef muscle, known as intramuscular fat. Intramuscular fat is the flecks of white fat found within the actual lean muscle. Traditionally, this marbling is a top trait that determines the quality of meat. Marbling is most important in influencing the sensory attributes of flavour and juiciness and to a limited extent the tenderness of the product. Of these attributes, flavour may be the characteristic that is most dependent on marbling.

It impacts the tenderness, moistness, and overall flavour and has become one of the most well-known elements of steak evaluation. Wagyu beef is a superior beef, with the greatest amount of beef marbling and the max amount of oleic acids.

Marbling 

Marbling impacts steak's juicy flavors. Marbling keeps the meat moist during cooking, so natural juices don't evaporate in the pan.

Marbling that is fine-textured (small flecks) and uniformly distributed is preferred over marbling that appears as large, coarse flecks of intramuscular fat. High-quality marbled beef contains a high level of marbling, which translates to a high level of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. The term “quality grade” is used by meat scientists to describe the level of marbling, along with other factors including fat thickness on the outside of the carcass, age of the cattle, and coloration of the beef. The leanest and least marbled cuts tend to come from the legs, shoulder, and rump, where the muscles get a lot of exercise and result in much leaner cuts.

Marbling varies in different cuts of meat and is affected by several factors including.

  • The breed – Some breeds have a higher level of marbling as a result of how they metabolize food. Cattle breeds are high quality and produce well marbled cuts of beef. These breeds include Angus, Murray Grey, Herefords, Shorthorns, Japanese Wagyu, and Kobe. Some dairy breeds stand out well too, these include Jersey, Holstein-Friesian, and Braunvieh stand out as well. 

  • Whether they are grass or grain fed – Beef cattle that are not gaining weight will lose marbling from muscles quickly. Grain fed cattle often marble more easily than strictly grass fed cattle. But as all cattle metabolise differently, this can vary depending on the breed.
  • Cut – The cut will affect the level of marbling. Leaner cuts of meat come from areas where the muscles work harder such as the shoulder, leg and rump – these cuts will have less marbling. However, cuts that come from less muscular areas such as Rib-eye and loin will produce the most marbled meat.
  • Marbling varies widely, it comes in different shapes and sizes and not all marbling is an indication of greatness. However, when you choose to purchase your meat from a butcher (like us) we can help you to choose the best cut of meat with marbling that will enhance the flavours and ensure you have a succulent and tender piece of meat.

Why is marbling in meat important?

Marbling in meat is important for a number of reasons.

Marbling adds flavor and juiciness. During the cooking process, the fats melt into the steak, keeping the meat moist and tasty.
Fat is more tender than muscle fiber, as a result, well marbled pieces of steak will feel more tender when eating.
Intramuscular fat that creates marbling can be good for you. Breeds, that produce marbled beef are higher in unsaturated ‘healthy’ fats that when consumed in moderation and with a balanced diet can be good for us.

  • ENERGY STORE-Marbling is the last fat to be deposited and so it is the first fat to be used by the animal as an energy store. Therefore, to maximize marbling within red meat, cattle must be on a highly nutritious diet – whether that be grass or grain. Different types of farming methods produce different results.
  • COOKING MARBLED STEAKS-Marbling contributes to the juiciness and flavour of meat. When cooking, steaks containing high levels of intra-muscular marbling have a richer, sweeter flavour and tend to produce a softer, moister, and more tender steak.
  • COOKING WITH WAGYU-As a wagyu steak cooks, its marbling returns to the form it is in when the animal was alive – liquid – and is absorbed by the meat. This is unique in wagyu as with most other marbled steaks, there should be a significant loss of this ‘liquid’ marbling.