You can buy the same American Wagyu beef used at Michelin-starred restaurants on this site — here's what it's like

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• Japanese Wagyu beef is highly coveted and hard to come by in the US. An alternative that's just as delicious is American Wagyu, which is created by crossing purebred Wagyu with Angus cattle breeds to make a richly-marbled and flavorful meat.
• Snake River Farms is a top purveyor of American Wagyu cuts — think juicy and tender filet mignon, prime rib, and even brisket.
• Though its cuts aren't cheap, you can taste and feel the difference in quality. If you love a good steak, the price is worth it.
• Right now, Snake River Farms is also selling bulk bundles of everything from ground beef to filet mignon, for anyone who's worried about meat supply shortages or can't shop in person at a grocery store.

The city of Kobe, Japan is synonymous with Wagyu beef, prized among steak lovers for its unique marbling, rich flavor, and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. But you don't need to travel to Japan in order to have a taste of Wagyu beef.

Snake River Farms (SRF) is a premium meat brand that's used at Michelin-starred restaurants and sold at select retailers and online. It sells not Japanese Wagyu, but American Wagyu — the result of imported Japanese Wagyu cattle crossbred with traditional Angus cattle breeds.

Chef and Snake River Farms fan Wolfgang Puck describes American Wagyu as having "the richness of Japanese beef with lots of marbling," but with a flavor that's "more akin to what we're used to in America." He even says that given the choice between the best Japanese Wagyu and American Wagyu, he would "choose the New York steak from Snake River Farms every time."

How Snake River Farms beef is different

Instead of using the USDA Prime designation, the highest USDA grade for beef, SRF follows the Beef Marbling Standard (BMS), a Japanese marbling scale that the company believes better captures the superior quality of its beef. Its steaks range in BMS from 6 to 12, with 9 to 12 considered excellent. You can find these top-notch, "Gold Grade" steaks here.

The cattle are raised along the high plain of the Snake River in Idaho, where they're fed balanced diets and have space to roam freely. Each piece is wet-aged (marinated in its own juices) for more than three weeks, then hand-cut by a butcher and shipped frozen to you.

On the website, you'll find SRF's most popular American Wagyu beef cuts, including filet mignon, ribeye, and prime rib. Even hot dogs and brisket are elevated here, the perfect additions to a gourmet backyard cookout. In order to streamline its fulfillment process due to increased demand, the company is not offering its full lineup of cuts at this time.

Right now, it's also selling bulk bundles of staples like ground beef and cuts like filet mignon for anyone who's worried about meat supply shortages or can't shop in person at a grocery store. These bundles are specially priced and have 12 units of meat each.

What Snake River Farms meat is like

SRF sent me its American Wagyu Prime Rib Starter Kit ($255), a simple set designed to help novice cooks make their first prime rib. It contained a five-pound prime rib, Jacobsen black pepper salt, and a Thermoworks digital thermometer, reinforcing how easy it really it is to make a tasty prime rib. Quality meat, a generous sprinkling of savory seasoning, and accurate temperature are the only things you need.

Everything arrived in an insulated box (the insulated foam is biodegradable and dissolves in water) with dry ice and a reusable thermal bag, and the prime rib was a little thawed by the time I came home to pick it up.

Prime rib is no doubt a treat I usually only indulge in around the holidays, and a treat this was. The cooking process was a breeze, and I ended up with a huge, flavorful, and juicy prime rib, which I of course also shared with friends.

The bottom line

I don't buy or eat a lot of meat regularly, but when I do, I know I want high-quality stuff. There's no point in skimping or settling, and Snake River Farms is one of the first online companies I turn to, whether I want to buy for myself or for a friend who deserves a good meal.

If you'd like to order beef right now, keep in mind there may be shipping delays. Standard ground shipping is $9.99, while expedited dry-aged order shipping is $49.99. There are also express and overnight shipping options.

Shop American Wagyu beef at Snake River Farms here