To be Wagyu or not to be Wagyu

Mikhail · Jun 20, 2021

OK, Fresh Thyme Market advertised Tajima Black Wagyu steaks sale for the last couple weeks - 10 AM yesterday, first come first served. So I went. I was there at 10:20 and the guy said it was almost gone. But there was no crowd there and no one else at the meat counter while I was there bought any.

Here was the pic they sent in the email:

Here is one of the ribeyes I bought - $30 a pound. The strips look about the same.

Now that looks like a real nice prime ribeye to me, but Wagyu? Is it just a mixed breed with American cattle? What say the brethren?

ToOTHroTT · Jun 20, 2021

Dont look like the picture they sent you for sure. It looks good just not as good as the pic.

SVTNate · Jun 20, 2021

The wagyu picanha I buy locally at $20/pound looks much more marbled than that.

That's a bit of a bait and switch IMO

I would not be happy with that marbling in wagyu meat, personally.

SMOKE FREAK · Jun 20, 2021

I think I'd like the one you bought better than the other. But not @ $30 a pound.

Mikhail · Jun 20, 2021

I've kept the receipt. if these steaks are not pretty special tonight I'll be taking the pics back and talking to management about the importance of trust in my food chain.

Go all Karen on them. :twisted:

jzadski · Jun 20, 2021

Well Karen haha. I did the same thing yesterday at Walmart. I have not opened the vac pack yet but, when I do I will post and we can compare. 26ish a lb. How are you cooking yours. Thinking weber kettle with lump

Mikhail · Jun 20, 2021

Not sure. I may just cast iron it on the stove/oven. It shouldn't take long.

I looked at the Walmart ad. It at least showed their actual product.

Moose · Jun 20, 2021

Keep in mind not all beef labeled "Wagyu" is 100% Wagyu. Most American Wagyu is crossed with other breeds like Angus, for example. This is usually for two reasons; 100% pure Wagyu is more richly marbled than most consumers would really enjoy, and cross breeding results in larger cows, which means increased yield per carcass.

That said, I'm looking FW to seeing how it turns out for you. I did a post recently featuring an American Wagyu/Angus cross, and it was better than any beef I've had to date:

https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=291810

mcyork28 · Jun 20, 2021

There are different grades of waygu. The advertised picture looks like one of the more expensive grades. What you purchased might be one of the less expensive ones.

I saw A5 waygu ribeyes at Costco and I think they were $200 a pound.

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Mikhail · Jun 20, 2021

And that is my issue. Don't entice me with pics of the top grade and sell me a lesser one. If it is a lesser grade, OK, but they put that pic on and said it was Tajima black cattle, not a cross.

MichPHX721 · Jun 20, 2021

I believe the term is bait and switch.

TwoWheeler · Jun 20, 2021

ToOTHroTT said:
Dont look like the picture they sent you for sure. It looks good just not as good as the pic.

It comes with a one month subscription to PhotoShop.

TwoWheeler · Jun 20, 2021

MichPHX721 said:
I believe the term is bait and switch.

Not quite sure it’s worth of being submitted here, though.

jzadski · Jun 20, 2021

Finally pulled from vac pack and letting set for a bit

Mikhail · Jun 20, 2021

Yeah, about time to let mine rest room temp. I'm going with cast iron with a little fresh thyme in the pan. A golden beet salad with glazed pecans and goat cheese.

Part of the reason for going inside is no water here. We had a water main break on the street this morning. They got it fixed and it sprung an even bigger one an hour later. They are still fixing it. I feel sorry for the guys having to fix this on Fathers Day.

jzadski · Jun 20, 2021

For sure especially if they had to smell your cooking. I am sure they were drooling a bit

MichPHX721 · Jun 20, 2021

jzadski said:
Finally pulled from vac pack and letting set for a bit

That looks much better.

jasonjax · Jun 21, 2021

Mikhail said:
And that is my issue. Don't entice me with pics of the top grade and sell me a lesser one. If it is a lesser grade, OK, but they put that pic on and said it was Tajima black cattle, not a cross.

Yeah. That's some deceptive advertising for sure.

Wagyu varies from the very best Japanese A5/BMS12 (like what was probably shown in their picture) to high BMS scoring Australian Wagyu to American Wagyu with Fullblood and Purebred to many various crosses, all of which can be called Wagyu.

You look to have gotten a cross based entirely on the marbling. It will likely still be excellent, but absolutely not in the same club as the highest-end Wagyu and should not be priced as such.

Mikhail · Jun 21, 2021

wasn't priced as such and it was a very good steak, but still a bit deceptive. I will address it with corporate. It's a pretty ethical company.

The ribeyes were good but not exceptional.

NCGrimbo · Jun 21, 2021

When buying Wagyu, as others have said, make sure you know exactly what you are getting. My local butcher's shop sells A-5 Wagyu for $120 a pound. What you got doesn't look anything like what my butcher sells. Here's an interesting picture showing how grades of meat in different countries compare:

Based on that image and your picture and price, I expect you got a high A3 to low A4 Wagyu which is what the US calls prime.

To be Wagyu or not to be Wagyu

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