What is "Stew Meat"?

LINK to info below:

• Diced Beef, IMPS/NAMP 135 -- Diced beef shall be prepared from any portions of the carcass, which yield product that meets the end-item requirements. However, shank and heel meat shall be excluded. Diced beef shall be free of bones, cartilage, heavy connective tissue and lymph glands. Unless otherwise specified, at least 75 percent by weight, of the resulting dices shall be of a size equivalent to not less than 3/4-inch cube or not more than a 1-1/2-inch cube and no individual surface shall be more than 2-1/2 inches in length. The surface and/or seam fat shall not exceed 1/2-inch thickness at any point.

• Beef for Stewing, IMPS/NAMP 135A -- This item is described in No. 135, unless otherwise specified at least 85 percent by weight of the resulting dices shall be of a size equivalent to not less than a 3/4-inch cube or not more than a 1-1/2-inch cube and no individual surface shall be more than 2-1/2 inches in length. The surface and/or seam fat shall not exceed 1/4 inch at any point.

quote:

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I buy a pretty hunk of chuck and cube it up myself

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I think that is what I'll be doing from here on.

for the most part its scrap trimmings from around bones when they section off a side of beef but its also any scraps or leftovers from trimming cuts of meat into steaks.

its literally just meat scraps so its not like some low level grade of meat but it is a mix of meat scraps and curt offs from the best to the least tender cuts.

they take all of that leftover meat scraps and either make ground beef or sell it as stew meat

Do you guys notice that stew meat is costing more than roast now days.

Last time, I bought some chopped steaks minute steaks or cube steaks, whatever your grocer calls them and just cut them into pieces and used them in my vegetable beef soup. Worked fine and they were cheaper than stew meat.

I just figure its chunks of cow I always check the chuck and other cuts and compare price either round or chuck or what ever is on sale ad compare the cost to the stew meat after stewing in my black iron pot with all the veggies and stuff ya cant tell the difference anywasy