Delivering the world’s best steak experience has been one of Omaha Steaks greatest achievements for over a century. A lot goes into our steak process to ensure we maintain such a proud legacy. They’re hand-selected from only the finest beef; hand-cut and -trimmed by master butchers with over 900 years of combined experience; extra-aged for a minimum of 28 days; and flash-frozen at peak perfection to deliver the world-famous experience you know and love.
From bold top sirloins and beefy New York strips to rich ribeyes, fork-tender filet mignons, mild T-bone steaks, juicy porterhouse steaks, and more. We’ve always known how special our lineup is, so we put our most popular steaks through rigorous independent testing and inspections to make it official. We’re honored and thrilled to announce that our New York strips, ribeyes, top sirloins, porterhouses, and T-bone steaks are now USDA Certified Tender, and nearly all of our filet mignons are now USDA Certified Very Tender.
“We know our customers work hard for their money, and we want to make sure they get the most value for their dollar,” shares Omaha Steaks Vice President and Chief Product Officer Brian Fowler. “By working with the USDA to expand our Certified Tender and Very Tender lineup, we reassure our customers that when they buy Omaha Steaks, they will be the most tender steaks they can possibly buy. And that’s a level of guaranteed quality grocery stores will never be able to reach.”
What Does “USDA Certified Tender and Very Tender” Mean?
Omaha Steaks processing facilities have long been inspected by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to assure our customers that their food has been prepared in the safest environment possible. The USDA Certified Tender and Very Tender specification establishes an accurate system, designed by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Services (AMS) in coordination with academia and industry to scientifically measure when consumers perceive beef cuts to be tender. Based on an objective scale, the system uses something called “slice shear force” testing (or SSF, for short) to ensure that specific beef cuts consistently meet established tenderness thresholds.
This means that Omaha Steaks filet mignons, top sirloins, New York strips, ribeyes, T-bones, and porterhouses undergo rigorous independent tenderness testing to verify they are both easy to cut and easy to chew. They are regularly submitted for ongoing testing to ensure that specific beef cuts consistently meet established tenderness thresholds.
Why Did We Want This Distinction?
Tenderness is top priority for steak lovers, with 72% saying tenderness is a very important factor when choosing a steak. And if you’re part of that 72%, you may find yourself worrying that the steak you pick up at the grocery store or order online may not deliver that exquisite tenderness you crave. But how can you tell for sure without trying it? That’s where the USDA Certified Tender and Very Tender distinctions save the day (and dinner!).
When you order a USDA Certified Tender top sirloin, New York strip, ribeye, T-Bone, or porterhouse, or USDA Certified Very Tender filet mignon from Omaha Steaks, you’re not just taking our word for it. You’re getting steaks that have been tested to the highest standards by an unbiased, transparent, and universally trusted source. A source that most consumers trust so much that they’ll only purchase steak that’s been USDA inspected! This is just another way Omaha Steaks delivers a world-class dining experience.
What Does It Take To Be USDA Certified Tender and Very Tender?
Sounds simple enough: deliver tender steaks, get certified tender or very tender, right? Not exactly. The process of achieving the USDA Certified Tender and Very Tender distinctions are very difficult, costly, and time-consuming, so you need to be confident enough in your product to make it worth all of the work. Luckily, we know our top sirloins, ribeyes, New York strips, porterhouses, T-bones and filet mignons are the most tender steaks available, so we had no reservations about the road ahead!
And as part of the ongoing process to remain USDA Certified Tender and Very Tender, we undergo regular recertification audits to maintain these hard-won certifications. All this time and work is worth the effort to ensure our customers (you!) know they’re getting a superior steak experience every time – 100% guaranteed. An experience you can only get at Omaha Steaks.
Grab a Fork and See for Yourself!
You’ve heard the science, seen the stats, and learned the facts – all that’s left to do is try them for yourself! Shop our mouthwatering, juicy, world-famous lineup of USDA Certified Tender and Very Tender steaks and try a little tenderness today!
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