[PDX] Source for Prime, Wagyu, or Kobe Beef?

Anyone know a place in Portland metro to buy the highest quality beef? Pastaworks usually has some wonderful beef, maybe from Painted Hills. Anyone else, especially with a wider selection. Most of the gourmet/organic stores like Wild Oats, New Seasons, Zupan's, and Whole Foods only seem to sell ungraded beef that appears to be decent, but not prime quality or better. Same with Gartner's.

[Gaahbee]

According to this article, you CAN'T buy Kobe beef in the United States and every place advertising that they have it is lying - Kobe beef only comes from Kobe cattle, there are 3000 of them and they're all in Japan and no Kobe beef slaughterhouse in Japan has been approved by the USDA to export to the United States:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolms...

I was very interested to read this as the meat dept at a store near me was selling "Kobe beef" for $25 lb

[Leonardo]

Ditto that. And USDA couldn't care less about fraud. All that matters to them is if it is called "beef" it is in fact beef.

Make sure you try Wagyu/Kobe in a small portion before you shell out a big chunk of change for a hunk. It has a completely different texture than Prime. Some people actually don't like their beef to be so soft and buttery, but want something that gives back a little when you bite into it.

For my money, River Run Farm sells mighty fine beef and it's dry aged a minimum of 2 weeks. They're at the Portland farmer's market.

regards,
trillium

Thanks. I actually tend to like beef with some tooth to it as much as fork tender stuff, so it's a good suggestion. I often buy flank or skirt steak for myself while I purchase a well-marbled NY for someone else.

But I'd like to try some of these. My steak-aholic friend in Dallas has been bragging for a while because Wagyu has been on several of the top restaurant's menus for some time. He thought it would be mostly hype, but has been converted. He's even been impressed by a Kobe burger one place put on a dish that was Kobe beef three ways. Seems counter to common sense that it would matter for ground beef, but he insists.

I've had a thin Kobe beef steak in a Japanese restaurant as well as Kobe beef sashimi. I really liked it raw, in the sashimi because it was so smooth, fatty and soft. I didn't care for it cooked, for the same reasons I liked it raw. But it's worth a try for sure.

regards,
trillium

I know a lot of chefs just sear it on the outside, like you would with tuna, eg, at a very high temperature to give it a nice crust and then leave it essentially raw in the middle. But I've heard that it's good carpaccio style as well.

look for american kobe beef out of snake river idaho. it's good beef and cheaper then the real thing. they treat the cattle the same and it's the same breed

Unless you need those particular meats for something I would suggest you look at the farmers markets for pasture finished beef. Personally I think it has a better flavor and texture then anything that spends the last months of its life in a feed lot (even if it is drinking beer and getting massaged). I have included a link to a Seattle area source for pasture finished meats. As well as another site that talks about its health benefits. http://www.paidom.com/pr02.htm.

Link: http://www.thunderinghooves.net/faq.htm

Irvington Market (what's left of it, that is) sells several different cuts of USDA Prime beef. Their meat and seafood is very, very good.

NicK: Whole Foods in Seattle, carries "Prime Beef", in their dry aged reefer, as well as Wagyu Rib Eyes, imported from Australia. Inquired at the meat dept. they suggested you check with PDX store, and if not in stock they will special order. Uwaijimaya often carries both Kobe and Wagyu. It may be worth your while to call around local Wholesalers and ask if they will sell you a whole piece of Strip Loin, Filet or Rib Eye for cash and carry,[most break full cases] as this may be more reasonable. Any boneless cut is easy to cut, and double freezer wrap. Beef, thawed in your refrigerator will not lose any flavor or character if consumed by three months. Irwin

Uwajimaya? Phil's Uptown Meat Market: NW 23rd Place?
For a read try Jeffrey Steingarten's chapter on the great steak search in his latest book 'It must have been something I ate.' I don't know if S&P retails; they're on SE 20 something near powell.

I've never even been to Uwajimaya. Guess I need to. I tried Phil's before with no luck.

Nick

Stroheckers used to cary whole kobe rib roasts and they would cut a steak from one if you asked. That was about a year ago so I don't know if its still there.
John and Richard also run a fine wine dept. there to go with that steak.

ps- Jeffery Steingarten is the greatest food writer ever and I would suggest everyone read both of his books.

Have you tried Uwajimaya out on Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy.?