Marbling

Marbling is small streaks of fat that are found within the muscle and can be seen in the meat cut. Marbling has a strong benefical effect on juciness and flavor and may also have a positive effect on tenderness. Meat which has little marbling may be dry and flavorless. Excessive amounts of marbling will not necessarily increase the juciness and flavor over those cuts of meat with modest marbling.

Marbling in Pork

The images below show marbling in pork rated on a ten point scale based on the percentage of marbling within the meat. Any meat with a score above 2.0 can be cooked and found adequately juicy.

Marbling in Beef

Beef is affected in the same manner as pork but is darker red in color and usually has more visible marbling. Marbling is categorized from Moderately Abundant to Small, using six categories.

Moderately Abundant	Slightly Abundant	Moderate
Modest	Small	Slight