What makes USDA prime cuts of beef so "prime"?

Question

The Trump steaks extole quasi-mythical virtues to the steaks they sell, before flogging them off at quasi-galactic prices.

Can anyone tell me why? Is the beef organic and free from hormones? Do the cows get massages and drink beer, like the ones Kobe beef comes from?

Thanks?

Answer 1

Aging and marbling.

Answer 2

the usda rates the beef when cut and prime beef is the best

i meen you got u ngraded beef ,choice beef and prime beef  

Answer 3

sometime they also sale the high end beef saying they died of old age or natural..or they were just grain fed and not allowed to graze

Answer 4

Prime beef is thoroughly and evenly marbled with fat in it which makes it more tender and juicy than select.

Above Prime would be Prime Certified Angus Beef and WAY above that would be the Kobe beef, which typically retails for $100/pound or more and is often eaten raw.

This is what the different grades look like:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=h...