First: there are no pictures. We all know what cheeseburgers look like, and honestly I could just pull any of the last 100 burger photos I’ve posted and nobody would know.
I stopped in Sammy’s to pick up my ration of Wright’s bacon, and some ribs for Sunday. And I saw this stuff. And an old lady (lol, I’m almost 70, but she was mid 80s easy, so I can say that) asked me if I’d tried it. “Well, not this brand,” I answered, “But yeah, I’ve had it.” “It’s pretty good!” she said, and honest to goodness, she had that tone in her voice that sounded like she knew her stuff. So I said, “Okay, then, I guess I’m suggestible!” And I picked up a package, and she laughed and we wished each other a good day.
When I got home, I checked it out on the internet, as people do. And, there is actually a pretty high % of 1 star and 2 star reviews! “Sticky”, “fatty”, “all gristle and bone”, “tastes funny”, etc. I mean, there are a lot of really good reviews, too, but: what the heck?
Well, the bottom line is that you can’t eat a review off the internet, y’know? So, in the interest of helping my Pitmaster sisters and brothers, here’s the deal.
The packages have a serration to tear along. While the griddle was coming to temp, I separated a package, cut it open, and cut the block into quarters, making four balls of beef. I rolled two of them in Montreal seasoning, and put the others away. I made it a point to handle them as little as possible. Then I took ‘em outside and smashed them on the griddle, in a smear of bacon grease. I plated it like I commonly would: lettuce/tomato/onion/mayo, bacon, jalapeño cheddar, and red pepper relish. I know, I’m a philistine.
These are damn good burgers. I mean, damn good. Of course, they are, they’re Wagyu! But also, they’re Wagyu. So, a lot of people aren’t going to handle them right. Let ‘em get warm? Heck yes they’re going to be sticky! Tastes funny? Sure, if you’re used to 90/10; these are probably 70/30. (The gristle and bone one is puzzling; all I can guess is that someone got a bad piece. But that happens once in a great while in ALL ground beef!)
At $5.88/lb, they are a freakin’ steal. I had already been to Wegman’s and bought a pound of regular ground beef for $4.49/lb. W’s 80/20 Angus is $7.49/lb. This is better than those. Not even close. And the Angus 80/20 is excellent.
This product isn’t really suitable for chili or bolognese sauce. You’ll be skimming grease for hours. Don’t bother. This is burger meat, and it is for maximizing burger performance.
Beef prices are coming down, slowly; family packs of 80/20 can be found locally for around $3/lb, give or take and depending whose Sunday flyer you’re looking at. But, handle this stuff right and you’re in for a treat. If you’re looking to do it more economically, I’d suggest making them 5 burgers to a pound, and don’t look back.
You can’t eat a review off the internet. But this isn’t a review. This is just your friendly ol’ fellow pittie telling you to ignore those who don’t know how to handle ground Wagyu. Handle it right! Keep it cold. Don’t roll it around in your hands. You will be rewarded with that Wagyu burst of unctuousness in every bite of your lowly hamburger!
Sam’s Club American Wagyu Burgers
I stopped in Sammy’s to pick up my ration of Wright’s bacon, and some ribs for Sunday. And I saw this stuff. And an old lady (lol, I’m almost 70, but she was mid 80s easy, so I can say that) asked me if I’d tried it. “Well, not this brand,” I answered, “But yeah, I’ve had it.” “It’s pretty good!” she said, and honest to goodness, she had that tone in her voice that sounded like she knew her stuff. So I said, “Okay, then, I guess I’m suggestible!” And I picked up a package, and she laughed and we wished each other a good day.
When I got home, I checked it out on the internet, as people do. And, there is actually a pretty high % of 1 star and 2 star reviews! “Sticky”, “fatty”, “all gristle and bone”, “tastes funny”, etc. I mean, there are a lot of really good reviews, too, but: what the heck?
Well, the bottom line is that you can’t eat a review off the internet, y’know? So, in the interest of helping my Pitmaster sisters and brothers, here’s the deal.
The packages have a serration to tear along. While the griddle was coming to temp, I separated a package, cut it open, and cut the block into quarters, making four balls of beef. I rolled two of them in Montreal seasoning, and put the others away. I made it a point to handle them as little as possible. Then I took ‘em outside and smashed them on the griddle, in a smear of bacon grease. I plated it like I commonly would: lettuce/tomato/onion/mayo, bacon, jalapeño cheddar, and red pepper relish. I know, I’m a philistine.
These are damn good burgers. I mean, damn good. Of course, they are, they’re Wagyu! But also, they’re Wagyu. So, a lot of people aren’t going to handle them right. Let ‘em get warm? Heck yes they’re going to be sticky! Tastes funny? Sure, if you’re used to 90/10; these are probably 70/30. (The gristle and bone one is puzzling; all I can guess is that someone got a bad piece. But that happens once in a great while in ALL ground beef!)
At $5.88/lb, they are a freakin’ steal. I had already been to Wegman’s and bought a pound of regular ground beef for $4.49/lb. W’s 80/20 Angus is $7.49/lb. This is better than those. Not even close. And the Angus 80/20 is excellent.
This product isn’t really suitable for chili or bolognese sauce. You’ll be skimming grease for hours. Don’t bother. This is burger meat, and it is for maximizing burger performance.
Beef prices are coming down, slowly; family packs of 80/20 can be found locally for around $3/lb, give or take and depending whose Sunday flyer you’re looking at. But, handle this stuff right and you’re in for a treat. If you’re looking to do it more economically, I’d suggest making them 5 burgers to a pound, and don’t look back.
You can’t eat a review off the internet. But this isn’t a review. This is just your friendly ol’ fellow pittie telling you to ignore those who don’t know how to handle ground Wagyu. Handle it right! Keep it cold. Don’t roll it around in your hands. You will be rewarded with that Wagyu burst of unctuousness in every bite of your lowly hamburger!
Sam’s Club American Wagyu Burgers
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