Where to Buy Wagyu Beef Reddit

May 25, 2022 Post a Comment

If you're unfamiliar with Snake River Farms, it's a meat brand that delivers high-quality wagyu beef to your home.

It sells American wagyu, which is a unique crossbreed between imported Japanese and traditional Angus cattle.

Seeking the premium meat quality, and looking to explore that unique flavor of wagyu, we decided to run a three-month test and find out if this service can deliver on the expectations we have.

Read the rest of our Snake River Farms review for the results of our experience.

What Is Snake River Farms?

Snake River Farms Wagyu sources American Wagyu cuts, prime rib, pork chops, Kurobuta pork, and other premium roasts.

The company was formed in 1968 as a small ranch and feed setup. Over time, they have expanded and developed a sustainable way to deliver great prime beef from the farm to your table.

Though their products are expensive, you can surely notice a difference in the texture and taste of their meats over their competitors, even for simple options like hot dogs.

Pros

American Wagyu Beef & Kurobuta Pork
Friendly customer support
Higher than USDA Prime options
Easy to navigate website

Cons

Not the cheapest option

Snake River Meat Choices & Selection

Snake River Farms Wagyu is a bit different from other online mail-order delivery services you'll find. They specialize in two main products:

American Wagyu Beef

If you love to make great steaks on any special occasion, then you will enjoy the Snake River Farms American Wagyu Beef or American Kobe. This is a particular type of amazing Japanese beef that comes from unique breeds of cattle that have higher intramuscular fat content.

The American Wagyu beef has a lot of good marbling, which gives it its tender, buttery texture and juicy taste savored by many.

For connoisseurs, Snake River Farms Wagyu beef may be one of the best and most highly prised meats in the world.

They offer various types of gold grade and black grade American Wagyu cuts, which are way superior to USDA Prime. Examples of high-quality cuts you can get are ribeye, New York strip, flank, brisket, Picanha steaks, and more.

Last but not least, they offer fantastic Teres Major steaks. If you are not familiar with this delicious beef cut, be sure to read this article.

Wagyu fat melts at a lower temperature than other stakes, resulting in a rich, buttery flavor

- Alicia Rooker, Editor of Taste at Home Magazine

Snake River Farms Kurobuta Pork

If you want to get pork, then this may be a better choice. Kurobuta is a cut of pork that you can mostly find in restaurants. This comes from the Berkshire breed of pigs, which originates all the way back from the United Kingdom, giving it a slightly higher price tag. On one part, Modern Kurobuta is a special hybrid of Berkshire, including domestic Japanese black pigs.

This pork scores good on the marbling scale, which means that it has a more tender texture. It is also very juicy, which means it could really make a tasty pork belly roast recipe. It is better for cooking longer at higher temperatures than other pork cuts (1). We have another article dedicated to Kurobuta pork so check it out to learn more.

You can still get various gold or black grade cuts of this pork like pork chops, ribs, pork tomahawk steak, and others.

Snake River Farms: Black vs. Gold Grade Steaks

Snake River Farms has two grades of American Wagyu beef. It's the same as buying various USDA beef grades. However, they use the Japanese Beef Marbling Score (BMS) on a scale of 1 to 12.

Black Grade

The Black Grade steaks from Snake River Farms have a rating of 6 or above on the BMS scale. It isn't the best, but it's higher than the most high-quality USDA Prime beef. The average weight of the Black Grade Ribeye is around 15 ounces, with cuts about 1.5 inches thick.

Gold Grade

This grade is the cream of the crop since it's the highest grade of American Wagyu beef available. Its Japanese Beef Marbling Score can go from 9 to 12. For this reason, a 1.5-inch thick cut of a Gold Grade ribeye costs much higher.

Black vs. Gold - What Should You Choose?

Ultimately, it boils down to your preferences, but it's better to splurge if you're spending your hard-earned money on quality beef. That way, you're getting the top of the line and have an enjoyable dining experience.

The Gold Grade ribeye steaks will cost around 25% more than their Black Grade counterpart.

However, it still costs less than a single steak dinner at fancy restaurants. If you don't order the Gold Grade to save some money, you'll likely wonder what the best of the best tastes like.

I ordered one of each to determine whether they were vastly different. In my opinion, the Gold Grade ribeye has a more tender texture. Both are excellent and are a substantially better option than the USDA Prime.

However, if I hadn't tasted both grades side by side, the difference would have been unnoticeable. One difference I noticed is that the Gold Grade ribeye steak has a higher amount of fat.

Snake River Farms Hot Dogs

Aside from steak cuts, Snake River Farms offers hot dogs. Here are two types:

American Wagyu Hot Dogs

As its name implies, this type of hot dog uses American Wagyu. Snake River Farms combines them with special spices, slow-cooked on hardwood to give their unique flavor.

Premium Style Hot Dogs

Snake River Farms has Double R ranch hot dogs made in the Northwest. They use their old family recipe, smoking them in a blend of hardwood to give a unique taste.

Snake River Beef Production Process

Snake River Farms says its goal is to make its standards one of the industry's best for American Wagyu beef. Its parent company, Agri Beef Inc., controls the entire production process to maintain the highest quality standards for American Wagyu beef.

They are the best commercial producer that I have ever used. Their beef brisket is several steps above any other I have found.

When we first tested their services, we ordered various cuts like filet mignon steaks, brisket, and two packs of American Wagyu hot dogs. And even during the subsequent times we ordered, we can always see that every product's quality was consistent and better than the traditional ones we see from a local grocery store or butcher.

Family-Owned Farm Sourcing

Each meat product is sourced from either a ranch they own or other top family-owned farms in the Northwest United States.

According to the Snake River Farms website, they make a point only to choose to work with ranches that adhere to their stringent guidelines for animal well being and sustainable farming practices. They claim that all their animals are fed adequately and are raised according to these top principles, as well.

Quality

Snake River Farms products are some of the high-quality meats that we've tried. The American Wagyu steaks have a gold or black grade rating, which is superior to some prime Japanese Wagyu beef products. Every time we cook them, we become excited about how rich the beef's flavoring and marbling are.

It exceeds the quality of the other companies I have used.

We are also impressed with Snake River Farms Double R Ranch gourmet hot dogs and brisket made from their Prime meats. They're not like any items we see in a grocery store. They taste great, and we would love to share them as a hearty meal with our friends and family. We can see that the packaging and how they ship their steaks ensure freshness.

How Is The Customer Service?

We wanted to test out their customer support service as well. After receiving our purchase, we called someone from Snake River Farms to ask questions about the meats' proper storage.

The representatives were quick to respond to our queries. They displayed a good understanding of all their products and services. Overall, we found more positive than negative reviews with each order.

Sustainable Packaging & Delivery

All items to be delivered will come frozen inside recyclable packaging, which is a thermal insulated bag. Inside the boxes, you can see an insulated foam liner and a lot of dry ice to make sure that your order will stay frozen.

So, you don't need to worry about spoilage if your American Wagyu Beef box sits outside your house for a few hours.

Our meat box even stayed on the porch for a couple of hours, as we were unable to pick it up immediately. When we opened it up, all of the items were completely frozen with dry ice and in good condition. Snake River Farms definitely offers one of the best meat delivery boxes on the market.

Shipping

Unlike most other meat brands, we found that Snake River Farms also delivers their meat in Hawaii and Alaska.

But, because they use FEDEX, they can ship your order to remote areas like Hawaii and Alaska in a short amount of time. You can also opt for express or overnight shipping.

In my review, the one downside I found is that they don't offer free shipping. It could be disheartening, considering the Snake River Farms cost for hot dogs and the like.

Most other brands I used offered free shipment if the meat order surpassed a certain price. But Snake River Farms still required a fee for shipment regardless of the money I spent.

According to their website, there are four shipping options, including:

$9.99 Standard Shipping (Ground)
$39.99 Express Shipping (2-Day Air)
$79.99 Overnight Shipping (1-Day Air)
$49.99 Expedited Dry-Aged Shipping

Drawbacks We Noticed

Most people complain about the lack of choices. We also agree. There are only two main Snake River Farms meats you can buy. It would be nice to have a selection of other meats like seafood and chicken.

At the same time, it seems natural for us to offer free delivery when you buy a certain amount of prime beef. The brisket and filet mignon we ordered would have easily pushed us to the free shipment threshold in many other delivery stores.

What Snake River Customers Are Saying?

Most Snake River Farms reviews in Yelp are good and 5-star ratings. Here are some examples:

"We have ordered products from Snake River Farms about seven times over the last 2 years. Their meats never fail to delight our palates." - SC C.

"This was my first time ordering from them and I feel it won't be the last. I purchased the American Wagyu Beef Rib and I was seriously impressed by the teste of the meat." -Kevin P.

"The quality of the meat was not much higher than I can probably encounter, way cheaper at decent, local butcher shops." -Jim G.

FAQs

1. Can I have my Snake River Farms product shipped at a later date?

Yes. Snake River Farms has an option for a pre-arranged delivery. You can have your package shipped on any day for up to 21 days after you placed an order.

2. Can I refreeze my Snake River Farms meats?

Yes, you can refreeze the meat, but only if a cut has not been entirely defrosted. The flavor and freshness of the meat will stay the same. However, if it has been completely defrosted, the taste may be compromised. In that case, the company does not recommend refreezing it. You can keep the defrosted produce in the fridge for up to 12 days, so long as it stays in its original packaging. When it comes to ground beef, refreezing is never recommended.

3. Does Snake River Farms accept refunds?

Yes, you can file for a refund or replacement. The customer support team will assist with any report made on damaged or defective goods.

4. Is Snake River Farms beef grass-fed?

Initially, yes. Snake River Farms beef feed on grass and hay for the first year of life. After this, they are fed sustainably with grains, forages, and hay. They are also fed potatoes. Snake River Farms cattle do not receive any growth hormone medication but are given vitamins, minerals, and occasional antibiotics to treat an infection.

5. Is Snake River Farms Steak more expensive than supermarket meat?

Yes. As a top purveyor of high-quality Wagyu steaks, Snake River Farms offers more expensive but better options than supermarket meat. Despite its pricey cut, you'll see and taste the difference in flavor and tenderness. If you want good and tender cuts, the prices are worth it.

Is Snake River Farms Worth It?

Overall, Snake River Farms did offer a decent value for our money as we received unique and good quality meat properly packaged and delivered on time.

However, given that Snake River Farms Wagyu prices are really high and the meat options quite limited, we can't wholeheartedly recommend this subscription service over some others we thoroughly tested and reviewed.

One company we consistently get reasonably priced high-quality meat from is ButcherBox, which in our opinion, covers all important advantages a meal delivery service should have.

Snake River Farms might be the only option for states like Hawaii, and kudos for that, but for the past 2 years ButcherBox has proven to be the best overall choice for our team.

#1 Meat Delivery Service

ButcherBox