Meats Judging | Tennessee 4-H Youth Development

The Tennessee 4-H Meats Judging Contest teaches youth how to evaluate meat products for quality, yield, and proper identification. Participants learn to recognize different cuts of beef, pork, and lamb, develop an understanding of grading standards, and practice accurate observation and decision-making. This contest helps youth connect animal science with food production while strengthening critical thinking and communication skills.

About the Contest

This contest is open to 4-H members in the 6th to 12th grade, as of January 1st of the current year. The top four senior teams from each region will advance to the state contest. Please check the regional calendar for the exact date and location.

Teams consist of three or four members.
The top three individual scores are combined for the team total.

The 4-H Meat Judging Contest usually consists of the following classes:

Retail Cut Identification: Depending on availability, there will be 25 – 30 retail cuts. Teams will identify species, primal (wholesale) cut, retail cut name, type of cut, and cookery method.

Retail Cut Judging: Two to three classes will be selected from Beef Rib Steak, Small End (Bone-in or Boneless), Beef T-Bone or Porterhouse Steaks, Pork Loin Chops, Pork Loin Rib Chops, Pork Ham Smoked Center Slice, or Lamb Leg Sirloin Chops. These cuts use similar terminology (Beef T-Bone & Pork Loin chop) and follow the primal cut judging.

Primal (Wholesale) cut Judging: There will be two classes selected from Beef ribs, Beef Short Loins, Pork Fresh Hams, or Pork Center Cut Loins.

The state competition is held on the first Tuesday of June at the University of Tennessee.

The top-placing team in the state contest will advance to the National 4-H Meat Judging Contest in October in Kansas City, Missouri.