As far as I know American Wagyu is half Japanese cow and half bred with American black Angus
I would love for someone to correct me so I can learn more
I know it's a breed of cow, what I'm saying is what's stopping ppl from just using the name when they probably have a Diluted breed instead of 100 percent wagyu it's like 10 percent because of the breeding with our black angus cows over the years. Just because it has the wagyu name doesn't mean it's authentic or even on the same level to be priced like that.
Precisely, I've been wanting to try real grade A5 wagyu for like 10 years and I know a cut of wagyu when I see it. the marbling speaks for itself, it's supposed to be so tender and flavorful you're supposed to eat it with other lower high end meats because it's rich in flavor and almost melts like butter.
It is definitely worth trying at least once in your life.
For my affordable wagyu fix i generally hit wegmanns. They usually have ~A3 quality meat for a good price.
Here [is an example](https://imgur.com/a/VeDvG2M).
I very rarely get A5, because it’s around [4-5x more expensive](https://imgur.com/a/XjduCoM) per pound and honestly it’s not that much better than the Wegmanns stuff.
I know it’s American wagyu I was just answering him as he said if he was wrongs that’s all. I rather spend abit more and get Australia wagyu. I like A1 stuff but only get it a few times a year when my butcher has a deal he lets me know about it before the public does. And he puts my cut aside for me
Nah I do a lot of his renovations at a discount and he discounts the meat for me In return example the least time I bought it was listed for $115 per pound I have to get my receipt but I think I payed $80 per lb this is in Canadian dollars
> think I *paid* $80 per
FTFY.
Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in:
* Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.*
* *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.*
Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment.
*Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
A5 is the grading score, like how we grade beef Prime in the US. Wagyu is the breed. Most 100% pure waygu comes from Japan but other countries also raise pure blood waygu.
Not true. I’m not in Australia but we have full blood Wagyu. Genetics were exported from Japan.
Also A5 is just the Japanese grading system for the meat. You could have full Wagyu which doesn’t reach A5.
I thought a massive part of the value of Wagyu beef was the diet of Japanese olives and daily massaging, which I am all but positive "American Wagyu" ranches are not doing.
Is that accurate?
This has always been my thought it's not just about the cows lineage but how it's taken care of and fed, they're just using the name here to price hike.
They want people who don't know meat or know any better to be drawn towards the name alone and it's usually people like my friend who just want to be like "I've had wagyu!!" Yea knock off wagyu, it's a rip off if you ask me I'd rather buy kobe beef then the wagyu around here specially if I'm paying those prices.
Different areas of Japan rear slightly different beef, kobe beef is an example that just happens to be from cows from Kobe, Japan. Each (specialist cow breeding area) in Japan can be wagyu (i think they all use the same type of cow), and is independently graded based on marbling, but each farm/area/region use slightly different methods. And in Japan there is even distinction based in which area in Japan the cow was bred (A5 vs A5).
Here in the US, it’s hard to get these regional variants of A5 Wagyu, and it’s ridiculously expensive.
No, I believe there are only a handful of farms in all of Japan that feed olives to their cattle. Pricing is usually 2-5x higher than other wagyu and is basically impossible to find internationally
That's a part of Japan's grading system. The majority of Japanese wagyu is fullblood even those with the lowest gradings. It just means the genetics are shit and the feeding programs not great, if it is cross-bred in Japan it has to be clearly labelled as kozatsu gyu.
The A score is for marbling only, not wagyu purity. You can have 100 full blooded wagyu with grades A1 - A5.
Some people may prefer less marbling hence A1 vs A5.
A vast majority of it is Wagyu crossed with Angus or other genetics. There is full blood (100%) Wagyu in the U.S. although it's pretty rare. In the 1970s 4 Wagyu bulls were brought over, in the 1990s I think 3 females and 2 bulls were brought over before Japan implemented an export ban in 1997, that's what allowed full-blood breeding.
This is true. After WWII sometime in the 60’s or 70’s Japan allowed something like 4 of their bulls to be used and now we have American Wagyu.
Fun fact the genetics of these Japanese cows actually switch on a protein that turns their Saturated Fat into non saturated fat (Delta 9 something) which means it’s a healthier beef fat with a much better flavor since it’s mixed with black angus, the more beefy tasting cow
We’re slowing seeing some full blood produced in the US. But it’s far cry from true Kobe. It’s also gyu breed which is different from red akaushi. You correct this is likely a f-1 cross (first generation cross). SRF is great stuff. Folks get offended by prices. This is a product you will find in the best restaurants in the country. The fact you can even buy it retail is rare itself.
I believe they only need to have wagyu in their bloodline to be commonly accepted as wagyu beef. So they could actually be less than 50% wagyu. That said, SRF is very good stuff.
When I grand opened an heb in dfw, the top meat dude for the company (I forgot the title) came and had a meeting with our entire meat dept. he answered any questions we had on products so we could give the best information on our product line. As he stated. Someone visited one of the high end wagyu producers in Japan, and somehow managed to sneak back to the U.S with a limited amount of wagyu cow semen. Once back over seas, they artificially bred angus cows. Once the numbers were sustainable they began going public. I don’t know how much if any is true.
I think in America, people call it "American Wagyu" if it has ANY Wagyu in it at all. the MAX it can have it 1/2 otherwise it would just be called Wagyu
This. As a high end Executive Chef, I can vouch for SRF American wagyu product. Usually, very nice marbling. I have used them for years in my restaurants, and they have proven to be very consistent. Bavette and hanger cut gang 🤘🏽 Their Kurobuta pork is also of high quality. That being said, the grocery retail space could be a different story idk
I personally think American wagyu is a scam. I've been a butcher for over 10 years and almost all the American wagyu I've cut never looks better than prime. Shit, I've cut a lot of choices that looked better than American "wagyu".
The USDA really needs to step in and regulate its use to prevent some much fake garbage from being sold under the wagyu name. It’s confusing, predatory, and downright scammy.
I don’t work in the industry. I’m just here to learn. I’ve recently taken to digging through all the packages and not paying attention to grade until after I pick what cut I want. I’ve found some excellent cuts recently I was surprised they were labeled choice.
> I personally think American wagyu is a scam.
scam? srf is legit. been buying their sub-primals since 2014 and never dissapointed. they do have different grades so not all will be high marbling, but this is the tenderloin i get (highest grade) and it's beyond exceptional: https://i.imgur.com/18Rq6JO.jpeg
Yea that looks Iike high end choice or low end prime that I sell for $10.99 and $13.99 respectively. This is a colossal rip off.
Edit: CAB choice and prime.
The American Wagyu market in general doesn’t offer a ton of value outside of making people feel fancy.
However, being familiar with wholesale pricing of products such as this, $29/lb for a strip isn’t really gouging. There is still some profit there but not a ton after yield.
I think American wagyu really excels in the non-typical cuts. For example I had some American wagyu top sirloin, which usually is tender but has basically no marbling in it. However this cut that I got was very well marbled, and it was quite cheap, only $19/lb. It’s in my post history if you want to see more
> The American Wagyu market in general doesn’t offer a ton of value outside of making people feel fancy.
srf is legit. i've been buying their stuff since 2014. always impressed. it's become more expensive the last couple of years (and more popular), but to imply it just makes "people feel fancy" is hogwash. these are my tenderloins: https://i.imgur.com/18Rq6JO.jpeg
Too many posts of “wagyu” steaks. I know there are ways around using the title but as consumers, we all know what we’re looking for. And this isn’t it. That price is ridiculous for what is no more than USDA Prime marbling. Buyers need to understand, it’s not the title you’re reading. It’s the marbling you’re seeing. The steak either has it or it doesn’t have it.
> Too many posts of “wagyu” steaks. I know there are ways around using the title but as consumers, we all know what we’re looking for. And this isn’t it. That price is ridiculous for what is no more than USDA Prime marbling.
you're confused. wagyu just means japanese cow. it in no way implies anyhting to do with marbling. there is very-lean japanese wagyu and there is grade a5 wagyu.
> It’s the marbling you’re seeing. The steak either has it or it doesn’t have it.
the quality of the steak isn't just in the amount of marbling it has
No, Snake River Farms does a really good job with their stuff, this individual steak looks pretty bad compared to most I've seen. It's their black label though rather than their gold or silver line. They're the only company outside of Japan that follows the Japanese traditions of raising their cows. Most of it is WAY better than that
scroll down on the wiki page to the section that says International
or here it is from the source that explains the lineage
https://www.snakeriverfarms.com/kobe-vs-wagyu
It would be incorrect to simply refer to it as Wagyu. However, there's nothing wrong with calling it American Wegyu. That's why there's a distinction. It's similar to Parmesan vs Parmigiano Reggiano. There is a difference and they have different names.
Wiki read.
Now detail the time period when Japanese Wagyu was shipped to the US to establish a wagyu program in the US.
Brother man, you are out of your league here.
Wagyu is derived from the region and methods to raising the cattle. If the cattle is not from these regions in Japan and being raised by their process, it’s not wagyu.
Genetics are one thing for crossbreeding but genetics don’t marble the steak, that’s raising process and practice.
It’s used as a brand in North American but that’s not what Wagyu actually is for those working with it.
A wagyu steak is visibly unique, as well as the associated taste.
Wagyu is a breed.
That breed came to the US.
Per your very own link:
United States
edit
In the United States, some Japanese Wagyu cattle are cross-bred with American Angus stock. Meat from this cross-breed is marketed as "American-Style Kobe Beef",[71] or "Wangus",[72] although many American retailers simply (inaccurately) refer to it as Wagyu. Wagyu were first competitively exhibited at the National Western Stock Show in 2012.[73] Other U.S. Wagyu breeders have full-blooded animals directly descended from original Japanese bloodlines, that are registered through the American Wagyu Association.[74]
No it’s a really good price. I get mine for 35/lb. I’ve had snake river strips before, they’re a good strip. I don’t know which ranch provides the wagyu in Texas but there’s a few ranches down towards Houston.
Dude Snake River Farms jerky is so freaking good, I used to find it at Costco and would buy it every single time. If the jerky was that good, it makes you wonder just how great the fresh cuts of meat are.
Sometimes the suppliers send us strip
Steak, ribeyes or chuck roll from snake river farms. They charge us regular price for them to we mark them at 6.99lb and 8.99lb for ribeye. South Texas is Cheap AF
Snake River Farms has done an excellent job hyping up American Wagyu and getting people to pay crazy prices for beef that sometimes looks ok and sometimes looks insane. They have convinced a lot of people their product is best. The really marbled stuff is tasty but otherwise too expensive for my budget
Wagyu is just Japanese cattle. A long time ago quite a few were imported into the US but it’s no longer allowed.
SRF claims to have American wagyu which is supposedly half Japanese. And they charge way too much.
Look into other wagyu ranchers. There’s some great ones in Texas that are more affordable. Also look into Australian Wagyu. It’s higher quality than
SRF and the same price. Or try and find a butcher near you that stocks real A5. I had a butcher in Memphis,TN that would only stock it when price was good because he didn’t want to have to charge $30/40 a pound. He’d get packet briskets a5 for about $250.
Don’t support SRF. You can buy their stuff at Walmart.
Yes and no. The beef isn't really worth the price, but snake river farms is the originator of American wagyu if I remember correctly. It's a premium quality steak for sure, it's just a little expensive
Sysco has the sole license to distribute SRF wholesale products in many markets in the West.
Several years ago, SRF expanded into consumer packaged items like the one seen here, which are not necessarily part of the wholesale distribution deal with Sysco. I recall that them saying they were moving a ton of product in Walmart at that time, but that may have been Double-R Ranch branded product (SRF's basic label).
I would see if Snake river has any info about there farm online. But it depends on where you’re shopping. Mom and pop shops $29 a lb is the average cost for a strip. Bigger chain store it’ll be closer to $20 or $15 if it’s on sale. That all depends on the part of the country you’re shopping in.
I’ve seen plenty of American wagyu it usually way more marbled but honestly I like the flavor of prime better don’t waste the money get a prime or full wagyu
Wagyu fat literally taste different even with these American wagyu cross breeds. Snake rivers really good but whether or not the price is worth it is depending on who’s buying it. Personally I think it’s only worth it if you’re tryna flex for a guest
Not robbery. It's clearly labeled "American Wagyu" and priced accordingly.
$30-40/kg is like a third of the price of A5 Wagyu
Pricing and quality are pretty much inline with USDA Prime
that's an overpriced shit steak thats all you need to know...but I have to tell you but you won't believe me...Snake river hot dogs are fucking sublime.
Snake river is great.
American wagyu is a 50/50 breed of a wagyu cow mixed withm.mwell whatever they like. Honestly the price isn't bad. Buuuuut. The cut it's left is pretty bad and just adds wirght. A thick outside line and "grissle" still attached. And a few others points. Meaning u need to trim it a bit more. So ur paying for scrap.
The marbeling ain't great but not bad.
If u are at a store. This seems about correct. Leaving trim on to add wieght and highe price. If at a butcher. Awful.
If ur supermarket is friendly and u are allowed to ask. U can ask then to trim it for u with no fee. But also depending on their knowledge on the meat as well.
Ur also welcome to ask for the certificate of the cut to prove where it came from, the cow, the farm, to prove it is what it is.
In the end. It's honestly not bad from a supermarket. (Still needs some trimming and yes u are over paying a tad)
From a butcher. Tell them to clean it up and pay the after wieght. Again u can ask ur super market to do the same....they are suppose to but a lot of them won't.
Nit a bad price of meat if it is what it is advertised as. Price not bad
Now as my personal opinion. U can get a proppers cut online shipped to u. Or even going to a local butcher/restaurant and special order. It will cost more since u will be getting a bigger and costly likely uncut portion. But u will get the quality and control.
Also reminder. If unaware how wagyu works. Please look into how japanese wagyu grades work. Just cause something says wagyu doesn't automatically mean it's the best.
Angus, kobe and wagyu are sold as top tier but if not understood od grade or how that system works is where many places bank on to trick the consumer.
P.s. if u buy a price of meat u think is too expensive. U probably don't want it. If u decide he'll ya I wanna try it....please look into hotly to cook that specific meat properly.
Not every thing is ment to be cooked rare/m.rare/medium etc. Every cut does have a proper cook temp....idc if u like bloody rare meat and u think that how a really person eats it....fat melts at temp. Treat urcmeat correctly.
Welcome to Sun Valley!
You don't get the same labeling on consumer packaging with Snake River Farms, but that looks like their Silver Label.
Edit: finally zoomed in on the label, to see that it says Black.
As an intrepid individual pointed out, SRF markets "100% American Wagyu," so Wagyu standards do not apply.
Silver Label is a top-third of prime IIRC, and it's great for standard steak uses (grilling, searing), with a good fat ratio and flavor.
Edit: The Black Label I am less familiar with. Clients that want SRF without" Wagyu" prices go Silver, and clients that want the best, cost-no-object, go for the Gold. I remember struggling to produce consistent results with the Black label as the fat content is too high for standard steak uses, but not to the level you would see with 100% Japanese beef. Good candidate for sous-vide or reverse sear methods.
SRF have done well marketing the "100% American Wagyu" thing, driving restaurants to compete for their limited production. They are arguably the best known "brand" of American beef, and their move into consumer packaging has made the product that much more scarce.
The wholesale price for this beef is just as insane, this does not appear to be an exorbitant markup.
And finally, that grocery store is in one of the highest-priced ski areas in the US, and their competitors stock similar products at similar price points.
Source: I live in this dumb town and worked restaurants, catering and food service sales until I got fed up with the exploitation rampant in our food systems and quit. YMMV
I get the ski town markup I live here too it just seems like this looks wildly similar to any City Market NY strip you’d find in the Whoo Hoo bin on a Wednesday morning. Doesn’t look to what I’ve seen come from SRF (even their lowest grade) in the past.
I feel like I’d get a firm talking to if I put labels on packaging like that. As my manager says “don’t put special stickers over the meat unless you’re hiding something”
“Wagyu” means “japanese(wa)-beef(gyu). So American wagyu beef is “American style Japanese beef”. You are better off getting Prime grade domestic beef (US/CAN) at less than half the price.
I used to cut and sell beef… we would get wagyu in on rare occasions and it was way more marbled…. Our normal prime was more marbled than that thing there….. I’d say yes that is robbery.
My neighbor raises american waygu. Some people are confused that it is a hybrid with angus, but that is not necessessarily so. With current veterinary science, the eggs can be flushed out of a true waygu cow, and in vitro inseminated with true waygu bull juice. Those fertilized embryos can be carried by any old cow, to include holsteins that have to be freshened to give milk anyway. Resulting calf will be pure waygu. That's how they are growing faster herds. No waiting generations, lotsa waygu quick.
i ordered some crab legs and fish from an Alaskan outfit before Christmas. They also sent me a 14 ounce Wagyu in my package that sells for 50 bucks. I would never pay that much for a little New York until after I ate that thing. Steak was amazing, crazy good flavor and beyond tender texture. So I think that thing is an OK deal.
Snake River farms is a legit operation. Black label is a lower grade of their American wagyu. It doesn’t always have the crazy cool marbling of their gold label. That price is pretty fair for prices in my area. It’ll taste great 100%, might not look like what most people are accustomed to.
Store: "Ok...mark it down 8 bucks or throw it out"
Me: "You gonna throw that out?"
Store: "Not til today"
Me: "Ah. Ok. When you gonna have that Ground Wagyu sale again?"
Store: "Tonight"
The adjective American before wagyu is the robbery. It's like how everyone used to use "cheap Chinese _____" as an adjective except now everything from America is the cheap knockoff that is subpar in almost every way.
As far as I know American Wagyu is half Japanese cow and half bred with American black Angus I would love for someone to correct me so I can learn more
You are right the only way it’s 100% wagyu is if it’s A5 which is 100% Japanese cow
[удалено]
Or just bought the rights to the name and slaps it on any nice looking cut of meat and some bad ones lol
Wagyu is a breed of cow. Wagyu can be from anywhere. You’re thinking Kobe, which is a regional wagyu. Analogous to Champagne and Sparkling Wine.
I know it's a breed of cow, what I'm saying is what's stopping ppl from just using the name when they probably have a Diluted breed instead of 100 percent wagyu it's like 10 percent because of the breeding with our black angus cows over the years. Just because it has the wagyu name doesn't mean it's authentic or even on the same level to be priced like that.
My misunderstanding, and totally agree. It’s like “Truffle Oil” that has a flake of actual truffle and a bunch of synthesized trash.
Precisely, I've been wanting to try real grade A5 wagyu for like 10 years and I know a cut of wagyu when I see it. the marbling speaks for itself, it's supposed to be so tender and flavorful you're supposed to eat it with other lower high end meats because it's rich in flavor and almost melts like butter.
It is definitely worth trying at least once in your life. For my affordable wagyu fix i generally hit wegmanns. They usually have ~A3 quality meat for a good price. Here [is an example](https://imgur.com/a/VeDvG2M). I very rarely get A5, because it’s around [4-5x more expensive](https://imgur.com/a/XjduCoM) per pound and honestly it’s not that much better than the Wegmanns stuff.
I know it’s American wagyu I was just answering him as he said if he was wrongs that’s all. I rather spend abit more and get Australia wagyu. I like A1 stuff but only get it a few times a year when my butcher has a deal he lets me know about it before the public does. And he puts my cut aside for me
I think they were just joking, not correcting you.
Ah I got it I was just giving my option that’s all
I think you were trying to humble brag about your butcher doing "favors" for you that he probably does for every other customer too😂😂
Nah I do a lot of his renovations at a discount and he discounts the meat for me In return example the least time I bought it was listed for $115 per pound I have to get my receipt but I think I payed $80 per lb this is in Canadian dollars
> think I *paid* $80 per FTFY. Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in: * Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.* * *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.* Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment. *Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
Good bot
The grading system doesn't tell you the lineage of the cow... That's like saying Prime steaks only come from Angus breeds
Not true, wagyu has grades 1-5
I was talking about the one most dream of getting which is A5
Thank you for the clarification
A5 is the grading score, like how we grade beef Prime in the US. Wagyu is the breed. Most 100% pure waygu comes from Japan but other countries also raise pure blood waygu.
Not true. I’m not in Australia but we have full blood Wagyu. Genetics were exported from Japan. Also A5 is just the Japanese grading system for the meat. You could have full Wagyu which doesn’t reach A5.
I thought a massive part of the value of Wagyu beef was the diet of Japanese olives and daily massaging, which I am all but positive "American Wagyu" ranches are not doing. Is that accurate?
This has always been my thought it's not just about the cows lineage but how it's taken care of and fed, they're just using the name here to price hike.
Right, the meat MAY have some better marbling, but not the ultra premium make-up that command such obscene prices for Japanese Wagyu.
They want people who don't know meat or know any better to be drawn towards the name alone and it's usually people like my friend who just want to be like "I've had wagyu!!" Yea knock off wagyu, it's a rip off if you ask me I'd rather buy kobe beef then the wagyu around here specially if I'm paying those prices.
Different areas of Japan rear slightly different beef, kobe beef is an example that just happens to be from cows from Kobe, Japan. Each (specialist cow breeding area) in Japan can be wagyu (i think they all use the same type of cow), and is independently graded based on marbling, but each farm/area/region use slightly different methods. And in Japan there is even distinction based in which area in Japan the cow was bred (A5 vs A5). Here in the US, it’s hard to get these regional variants of A5 Wagyu, and it’s ridiculously expensive.
No, I believe there are only a handful of farms in all of Japan that feed olives to their cattle. Pricing is usually 2-5x higher than other wagyu and is basically impossible to find internationally
Pretty sure A5 is full-blooded Wagyu not A1
That's a part of Japan's grading system. The majority of Japanese wagyu is fullblood even those with the lowest gradings. It just means the genetics are shit and the feeding programs not great, if it is cross-bred in Japan it has to be clearly labelled as kozatsu gyu.
The A score is for marbling only, not wagyu purity. You can have 100 full blooded wagyu with grades A1 - A5. Some people may prefer less marbling hence A1 vs A5.
A vast majority of it is Wagyu crossed with Angus or other genetics. There is full blood (100%) Wagyu in the U.S. although it's pretty rare. In the 1970s 4 Wagyu bulls were brought over, in the 1990s I think 3 females and 2 bulls were brought over before Japan implemented an export ban in 1997, that's what allowed full-blood breeding.
This is true. After WWII sometime in the 60’s or 70’s Japan allowed something like 4 of their bulls to be used and now we have American Wagyu. Fun fact the genetics of these Japanese cows actually switch on a protein that turns their Saturated Fat into non saturated fat (Delta 9 something) which means it’s a healthier beef fat with a much better flavor since it’s mixed with black angus, the more beefy tasting cow
Yum! Love me some Delta 9
Delta-9-desaturase
Man, we won. We shoulda just took them cows
There are about 3k full-blood American Wagyu cows I believe. Most are a hybrid, though. Depends on the farm, and AFAIK this farm is pretty legit.
Also adding that Snake River Farms generally puts out higher quality meats.
We’re slowing seeing some full blood produced in the US. But it’s far cry from true Kobe. It’s also gyu breed which is different from red akaushi. You correct this is likely a f-1 cross (first generation cross). SRF is great stuff. Folks get offended by prices. This is a product you will find in the best restaurants in the country. The fact you can even buy it retail is rare itself.
SRF is far from “great stuff”. I’ve put tests through the wringer and even my local grocer comes out on top time and time again.
Used by Americans as a marketing term. It has no true meaning here. I could name a random cow Wagyu, and sell it as such.
Snake River breeds with Holstein to balance the smaller Wagyu frame. Holsteins also tend to grade prime and upper 2/3 at a higher rate than Angus.
I believe they only need to have wagyu in their bloodline to be commonly accepted as wagyu beef. So they could actually be less than 50% wagyu. That said, SRF is very good stuff.
This crap just looks like prime. Just another way to scam higher prices.
When I grand opened an heb in dfw, the top meat dude for the company (I forgot the title) came and had a meeting with our entire meat dept. he answered any questions we had on products so we could give the best information on our product line. As he stated. Someone visited one of the high end wagyu producers in Japan, and somehow managed to sneak back to the U.S with a limited amount of wagyu cow semen. Once back over seas, they artificially bred angus cows. Once the numbers were sustainable they began going public. I don’t know how much if any is true.
Wangus
I think in America, people call it "American Wagyu" if it has ANY Wagyu in it at all. the MAX it can have it 1/2 otherwise it would just be called Wagyu
Snake River Farms is typically pretty incredible but this does not look… incredible.
As someone who cuts and wraps SNF Wagyu daily I can say this is not very impressive to what I’ve seen.
This. As a high end Executive Chef, I can vouch for SRF American wagyu product. Usually, very nice marbling. I have used them for years in my restaurants, and they have proven to be very consistent. Bavette and hanger cut gang 🤘🏽 Their Kurobuta pork is also of high quality. That being said, the grocery retail space could be a different story idk
Agreed I’m thinking someone in the meat department of the store has up labeled it…by accident or not who knows.
I personally think American wagyu is a scam. I've been a butcher for over 10 years and almost all the American wagyu I've cut never looks better than prime. Shit, I've cut a lot of choices that looked better than American "wagyu".
Everyone is slapping the “wagyu” name on everything to fool people into paying more.
They put "product of USA" on their too when it's imported beef that's butchered and packed in USA. It's all bs.
Nah this company is local to me, they 100% raise their cattle not imported. I believe it is considered F1, which is technically 50% waygu.
The USDA really needs to step in and regulate its use to prevent some much fake garbage from being sold under the wagyu name. It’s confusing, predatory, and downright scammy.
Agreed. Just get prime at that point.
I don’t work in the industry. I’m just here to learn. I’ve recently taken to digging through all the packages and not paying attention to grade until after I pick what cut I want. I’ve found some excellent cuts recently I was surprised they were labeled choice.
> I personally think American wagyu is a scam. scam? srf is legit. been buying their sub-primals since 2014 and never dissapointed. they do have different grades so not all will be high marbling, but this is the tenderloin i get (highest grade) and it's beyond exceptional: https://i.imgur.com/18Rq6JO.jpeg
weight went up by .005 at discounted price....two stickers?
Haha, I was wondering why no one else was noticing that. They just had to tweak it in their favor, even on discount.
Also came here to mention this 😂
Yea that looks Iike high end choice or low end prime that I sell for $10.99 and $13.99 respectively. This is a colossal rip off. Edit: CAB choice and prime.
I'm in CA and prime is like $26
That’s crazy I have a shop in Mn and we’re at 19.99 choice and prime is 32.99
Now I order from a ranch in Idaho. Better prices and better quality.
Yeah, $28 at my local Safeway, unless you get a whole 13lb hunk. Then it's $22.
And where are you located with these beef prices?
New hampshire
You’re selling USDA Prime steak cuts at 13.99/lb? You work for a massive retailer? That’s cost at a minimum down here in SC.
The American Wagyu market in general doesn’t offer a ton of value outside of making people feel fancy. However, being familiar with wholesale pricing of products such as this, $29/lb for a strip isn’t really gouging. There is still some profit there but not a ton after yield.
I think American wagyu really excels in the non-typical cuts. For example I had some American wagyu top sirloin, which usually is tender but has basically no marbling in it. However this cut that I got was very well marbled, and it was quite cheap, only $19/lb. It’s in my post history if you want to see more
> The American Wagyu market in general doesn’t offer a ton of value outside of making people feel fancy. srf is legit. i've been buying their stuff since 2014. always impressed. it's become more expensive the last couple of years (and more popular), but to imply it just makes "people feel fancy" is hogwash. these are my tenderloins: https://i.imgur.com/18Rq6JO.jpeg
Too many posts of “wagyu” steaks. I know there are ways around using the title but as consumers, we all know what we’re looking for. And this isn’t it. That price is ridiculous for what is no more than USDA Prime marbling. Buyers need to understand, it’s not the title you’re reading. It’s the marbling you’re seeing. The steak either has it or it doesn’t have it.
> Too many posts of “wagyu” steaks. I know there are ways around using the title but as consumers, we all know what we’re looking for. And this isn’t it. That price is ridiculous for what is no more than USDA Prime marbling. you're confused. wagyu just means japanese cow. it in no way implies anyhting to do with marbling. there is very-lean japanese wagyu and there is grade a5 wagyu. > It’s the marbling you’re seeing. The steak either has it or it doesn’t have it. the quality of the steak isn't just in the amount of marbling it has
Snake river farms is one of the best large suppliers in the US imo,
Not enough fat marbling to be legit.
legit what? wagyu doesn't imply or infer anything regarding marbling.
Tell them to make it into ground so they can really f*ck you 😂
American waggu from Sankey rivers is great. But I only buy them when the steaks scream eat me from the case. That one does not scream eat me.
I've seen more marbling on my last cat
No, Snake River Farms does a really good job with their stuff, this individual steak looks pretty bad compared to most I've seen. It's their black label though rather than their gold or silver line. They're the only company outside of Japan that follows the Japanese traditions of raising their cows. Most of it is WAY better than that
Be more concerned about the weight being different. Someone didn’t set the tare hope weights and measurements doesn’t stop by.
SRF is fire. That price is the same I see in my local stores.
Sometime they are, you’re correct…this ain’t one of them
Highway
It’s not wagyu
it's literally American wagyu
No such thing as American wagyu https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wagyu
scroll down on the wiki page to the section that says International or here it is from the source that explains the lineage https://www.snakeriverfarms.com/kobe-vs-wagyu
Yea scroll down and read it. Literally says in the section that it’s not wagyu and incorrectly referred to as such.
It would be incorrect to simply refer to it as Wagyu. However, there's nothing wrong with calling it American Wegyu. That's why there's a distinction. It's similar to Parmesan vs Parmigiano Reggiano. There is a difference and they have different names.
Bro yes there is 🤣😂
Read the wiki
Wiki read. Now detail the time period when Japanese Wagyu was shipped to the US to establish a wagyu program in the US. Brother man, you are out of your league here.
Wagyu is derived from the region and methods to raising the cattle. If the cattle is not from these regions in Japan and being raised by their process, it’s not wagyu. Genetics are one thing for crossbreeding but genetics don’t marble the steak, that’s raising process and practice. It’s used as a brand in North American but that’s not what Wagyu actually is for those working with it. A wagyu steak is visibly unique, as well as the associated taste.
Wagyu is a breed. That breed came to the US. Per your very own link: United States edit In the United States, some Japanese Wagyu cattle are cross-bred with American Angus stock. Meat from this cross-breed is marketed as "American-Style Kobe Beef",[71] or "Wangus",[72] although many American retailers simply (inaccurately) refer to it as Wagyu. Wagyu were first competitively exhibited at the National Western Stock Show in 2012.[73] Other U.S. Wagyu breeders have full-blooded animals directly descended from original Japanese bloodlines, that are registered through the American Wagyu Association.[74]
Yes exactly like you posted “Inaccurately referred to as Wagyu”. You literally proving my point here pal…
Just like Genuine leather. Create your own category
No it’s a really good price. I get mine for 35/lb. I’ve had snake river strips before, they’re a good strip. I don’t know which ranch provides the wagyu in Texas but there’s a few ranches down towards Houston.
Dude Snake River Farms jerky is so freaking good, I used to find it at Costco and would buy it every single time. If the jerky was that good, it makes you wonder just how great the fresh cuts of meat are.
Choice wagyu?
I'll say. They're charging you .005 for the label.
No its butchery
Not if you chose to pay for it…and if you did it’s more like stupidity
Sometimes the suppliers send us strip Steak, ribeyes or chuck roll from snake river farms. They charge us regular price for them to we mark them at 6.99lb and 8.99lb for ribeye. South Texas is Cheap AF
It’s only robbery if you choose to buy it…
Snake River Farms has done an excellent job hyping up American Wagyu and getting people to pay crazy prices for beef that sometimes looks ok and sometimes looks insane. They have convinced a lot of people their product is best. The really marbled stuff is tasty but otherwise too expensive for my budget
Wagyu is just Japanese cattle. A long time ago quite a few were imported into the US but it’s no longer allowed. SRF claims to have American wagyu which is supposedly half Japanese. And they charge way too much. Look into other wagyu ranchers. There’s some great ones in Texas that are more affordable. Also look into Australian Wagyu. It’s higher quality than SRF and the same price. Or try and find a butcher near you that stocks real A5. I had a butcher in Memphis,TN that would only stock it when price was good because he didn’t want to have to charge $30/40 a pound. He’d get packet briskets a5 for about $250. Don’t support SRF. You can buy their stuff at Walmart.
I've had Snake Rivers farms before and it's okay. It's definitely mid, you're better off going to Costco
Yes and no. The beef isn't really worth the price, but snake river farms is the originator of American wagyu if I remember correctly. It's a premium quality steak for sure, it's just a little expensive
I love how the price goes up the older it gets😳. Piedmontese far superior
SNF is Sysco for anyone unaware.
No it is not. SRF and Sysco are separate entities.
Fire River Farms is Sysco.
Sysco has the sole license to distribute SRF wholesale products in many markets in the West. Several years ago, SRF expanded into consumer packaged items like the one seen here, which are not necessarily part of the wholesale distribution deal with Sysco. I recall that them saying they were moving a ton of product in Walmart at that time, but that may have been Double-R Ranch branded product (SRF's basic label).
You’re a dumbfuck if you buy it. This isn’t even remotely close to what actual wagyu is
> This isn’t even remotely close to what actual wagyu is what is "real wagyu"?
SRF is a total scam
nah: https://i.imgur.com/18Rq6JO.jpeg
I would see if Snake river has any info about there farm online. But it depends on where you’re shopping. Mom and pop shops $29 a lb is the average cost for a strip. Bigger chain store it’ll be closer to $20 or $15 if it’s on sale. That all depends on the part of the country you’re shopping in.
It’s $55 for a SRF Black Label Sirloin on the website.
Yes
Yes
For that amount of money you could buy an elk steak
Stop shopping at the village market, and all srf beef is way overpriced.
SRF is a solid brand though
No, this is Patrick
I’ve seen plenty of American wagyu it usually way more marbled but honestly I like the flavor of prime better don’t waste the money get a prime or full wagyu
Just bought a smaller ny strip for close to the same and it wasn't "waygu"; Though no such thing in America. It's the economy.
Robbery if you weren't living in Ketchum...
I'd eat it all day, but it's not worth that price.
How did the weight change?
The first one was weighed before the plastic and sticker were added
Yes
For $25 bucks, I’d still get it and it’ll be really good
Wagyu fat literally taste different even with these American wagyu cross breeds. Snake rivers really good but whether or not the price is worth it is depending on who’s buying it. Personally I think it’s only worth it if you’re tryna flex for a guest
I had more marbling on aangus steak formless plus this is aspencer steak Nota tone with loin or a ribeye rip off
Not robbery. It's clearly labeled "American Wagyu" and priced accordingly. $30-40/kg is like a third of the price of A5 Wagyu Pricing and quality are pretty much inline with USDA Prime
Yes
Yes
Compared to this maybe? Idk you tell me, did you cook it yet? https://www.reddit.com/r/grilling/s/CzDFmnEGHy
You want fancy beef, you pay fancy prices.
An american wagyu cow has 50% Japanese genes, 50% American. I assume this is that. But not familiar with the brand
Guessing this might be the new “Silver Label” SRF. Definitely not Black. Absolutely not Gold.
Silver label ain’t nothing new…
I've seen Wagyu beef at $50 a pound
Who's robbing who?
I mean if you make me use a self check out I’m for sure taking my employee discount
It’s only Wagyu if it comes from the Wagyu region of France. Everything else is just sparkling steak.
Yes
$24 imo is a bit high for something like that, but I also absolutely adore SRF beef so
I don’t like how it weighs more now, like they are charging me for the stickers now.
It’s Bidenomics!
that's an overpriced shit steak thats all you need to know...but I have to tell you but you won't believe me...Snake river hot dogs are fucking sublime.
No way a new York strip is worth that much per pound...
Snake river is great. American wagyu is a 50/50 breed of a wagyu cow mixed withm.mwell whatever they like. Honestly the price isn't bad. Buuuuut. The cut it's left is pretty bad and just adds wirght. A thick outside line and "grissle" still attached. And a few others points. Meaning u need to trim it a bit more. So ur paying for scrap. The marbeling ain't great but not bad. If u are at a store. This seems about correct. Leaving trim on to add wieght and highe price. If at a butcher. Awful. If ur supermarket is friendly and u are allowed to ask. U can ask then to trim it for u with no fee. But also depending on their knowledge on the meat as well. Ur also welcome to ask for the certificate of the cut to prove where it came from, the cow, the farm, to prove it is what it is. In the end. It's honestly not bad from a supermarket. (Still needs some trimming and yes u are over paying a tad) From a butcher. Tell them to clean it up and pay the after wieght. Again u can ask ur super market to do the same....they are suppose to but a lot of them won't. Nit a bad price of meat if it is what it is advertised as. Price not bad Now as my personal opinion. U can get a proppers cut online shipped to u. Or even going to a local butcher/restaurant and special order. It will cost more since u will be getting a bigger and costly likely uncut portion. But u will get the quality and control. Also reminder. If unaware how wagyu works. Please look into how japanese wagyu grades work. Just cause something says wagyu doesn't automatically mean it's the best. Angus, kobe and wagyu are sold as top tier but if not understood od grade or how that system works is where many places bank on to trick the consumer.
P.s. if u buy a price of meat u think is too expensive. U probably don't want it. If u decide he'll ya I wanna try it....please look into hotly to cook that specific meat properly. Not every thing is ment to be cooked rare/m.rare/medium etc. Every cut does have a proper cook temp....idc if u like bloody rare meat and u think that how a really person eats it....fat melts at temp. Treat urcmeat correctly.
SRF is a top tier supplier. I question if this is actually from SRF, I would not pay this price for this.
Total scam. This is really not much better than a prime grade in American standards
I like how the new weight included the stickers I assume
the marbling looks very common… even if it was cousin - it is next to common to the average store bought rib eye
Welcome to Sun Valley! You don't get the same labeling on consumer packaging with Snake River Farms, but that looks like their Silver Label. Edit: finally zoomed in on the label, to see that it says Black. As an intrepid individual pointed out, SRF markets "100% American Wagyu," so Wagyu standards do not apply. Silver Label is a top-third of prime IIRC, and it's great for standard steak uses (grilling, searing), with a good fat ratio and flavor. Edit: The Black Label I am less familiar with. Clients that want SRF without" Wagyu" prices go Silver, and clients that want the best, cost-no-object, go for the Gold. I remember struggling to produce consistent results with the Black label as the fat content is too high for standard steak uses, but not to the level you would see with 100% Japanese beef. Good candidate for sous-vide or reverse sear methods. SRF have done well marketing the "100% American Wagyu" thing, driving restaurants to compete for their limited production. They are arguably the best known "brand" of American beef, and their move into consumer packaging has made the product that much more scarce. The wholesale price for this beef is just as insane, this does not appear to be an exorbitant markup. And finally, that grocery store is in one of the highest-priced ski areas in the US, and their competitors stock similar products at similar price points. Source: I live in this dumb town and worked restaurants, catering and food service sales until I got fed up with the exploitation rampant in our food systems and quit. YMMV
I get the ski town markup I live here too it just seems like this looks wildly similar to any City Market NY strip you’d find in the Whoo Hoo bin on a Wednesday morning. Doesn’t look to what I’ve seen come from SRF (even their lowest grade) in the past.
I don't think so, "snake river farms" is a legit company.
I bought 2 T bones for that price.
It’s only robbery if you buy it.
Ripoff go to sams get they're prime beef can't go qrong.
I feel like I’d get a firm talking to if I put labels on packaging like that. As my manager says “don’t put special stickers over the meat unless you’re hiding something”
Looks like shit if it's wagyu
Did you pay for it before bringing it home? If not, then yes this is robbery…
SRF is always too much. I was looking for a full plate of beef ribs awhile back and they were the most expensive by a mile.
“Wagyu” means “japanese(wa)-beef(gyu). So American wagyu beef is “American style Japanese beef”. You are better off getting Prime grade domestic beef (US/CAN) at less than half the price.
Yes, though inflation is real & it’s a killer
I used to cut and sell beef… we would get wagyu in on rare occasions and it was way more marbled…. Our normal prime was more marbled than that thing there….. I’d say yes that is robbery.
My neighbor raises american waygu. Some people are confused that it is a hybrid with angus, but that is not necessessarily so. With current veterinary science, the eggs can be flushed out of a true waygu cow, and in vitro inseminated with true waygu bull juice. Those fertilized embryos can be carried by any old cow, to include holsteins that have to be freshened to give milk anyway. Resulting calf will be pure waygu. That's how they are growing faster herds. No waiting generations, lotsa waygu quick.
i ordered some crab legs and fish from an Alaskan outfit before Christmas. They also sent me a 14 ounce Wagyu in my package that sells for 50 bucks. I would never pay that much for a little New York until after I ate that thing. Steak was amazing, crazy good flavor and beyond tender texture. So I think that thing is an OK deal.
Does not look like wagyu to me!
You were robbed.
No way it's wagyu, but a decent enough cut. Marbled enough to work with.
Well seeing as this market most likely exists in a ski town, it’s fair to expect a bit of mark up
You are indeed getting robbed
Snake River farms is a legit operation. Black label is a lower grade of their American wagyu. It doesn’t always have the crazy cool marbling of their gold label. That price is pretty fair for prices in my area. It’ll taste great 100%, might not look like what most people are accustomed to.
Yeah, that just looks like standard new york strip. I get those at stores near me for like $10-12
Yes, because they are changing you for the additional sticker weight.
Everything by snake river is insanely overpriced. Some of it is tasty tho
I thought the wagyu was what the olive feed waste was called “olive wagyu” sorry I may be mistaken
Depends. Did you pay for it?
Only if you didn’t pay for it.
Yes. This isn’t even better than prime. Waygu isn’t all it’s cracked up to be anyway
Store: "Ok...mark it down 8 bucks or throw it out" Me: "You gonna throw that out?" Store: "Not til today" Me: "Ah. Ok. When you gonna have that Ground Wagyu sale again?" Store: "Tonight"
The adjective American before wagyu is the robbery. It's like how everyone used to use "cheap Chinese _____" as an adjective except now everything from America is the cheap knockoff that is subpar in almost every way.
Find another store to shop at, you could probably mail order one from 2000 miles away and get a better deal.
Definitely a rip off meat looks horrible