Where Does Snake River Farms Beef Come From? 

Snake River Farms beef comes from a place most people will never see — and that's exactly what makes it special. In the Okanogan highlands of Washington State, in a valley a half mile wide surrounded by steep mountains, Kent and Lana Clark run the Double R Ranch: 80,000 acres of open terrain, home to a Wagyu herd of about 1,800 cows, four children, and one of America's most respected American Wagyu beef programs.

"When you sit here and look out from the dining room table at the Guest House, it's quite the view," Lana observes. "Deer and quail walk by while we're eating. People can hear the coyotes at night and see the stars. They're always amazed by the splendor of it all."

The Double R Ranch: Where Snake River Farms' Wagyu Program Begins

The Guest House at the Double R Ranch has an open barn feel — wood beam ceilings, vaulted windows, and a stone fireplace. It's designed for cooking and eating together. The family-style table technically seats twelve but will squeeze in sixteen. The stainless steel kitchen is chef-ready in a literal sense.

Michelin-starred restaurateur Wolfgang Puck has stayed here. Thomas Keller of The French Laundry and Per Se came with a team of executive chefs. Eric Hellner, head of The Metropolitan Grill in Seattle — one of the country's most celebrated high-end beef restaurants — holds a standing reservation and the distinction of being among the Clarks' first and most frequent guests.

"Then there was the time Matt King came in the winter, right around my birthday, with executive chefs from his different Legal Sea Foods locations to create their spring menu," Lana says. "They made beautiful plates with steak, seafood and bone marrow. Everything on it, my family got to eat. How many people can say they've had eight chefs flown out to cook for them on their birthday?"

Every Steak Is Seven Years in the Making: The American Wagyu Genetics Behind SRF Beef

Kent brings every meal back to the steak. He points out an Argentinian grill on the screened-in back porch, fired with a base of local applewood — a favorite of the BBQ hall-of-famers and multi-world champion pitmasters who visit, like Tuffy Stone and Chris Lilly.

"It's the most basic form of grilling. Fire and meat. I tell the chefs it takes at least seven years to make that steak, don't screw it up in ten minutes."

That seven years represents the full arc of Snake River Farms' American Wagyu program — from the starting genetics through custom meat processing. Kent has spent decades mastering the cross between Japanese Wagyu and American Angus that defines SRF's beef. 

"Our steak has the perfect blend of immense flavor that the Wagyu brings to it and the typical American steak-eating experience of the Angus." 

Want to experience more of the Double R Ranch yourself? Read Home Free — writer Robert Jacob Lerma’s firsthand account of a night cooking and eating at the Clark’s table. → 

Kent Clark's Approach to a Perfect Steak — Straight from the Ranch

"You start with quality product. When I fix steaks, it's about the steak. We're trying to highlight our meat. New York strip or ribeye. Different cuts for restaurants we're trying out. Tenders. Flank steaks. Skirts. Zabuton. Shanks. Every cut you can imagine. But I cut them thick. The temp of that grill is usually 800°F to 900°F. Use some kosher salt and a little bit of pepper. Cook them medium rare, let them rest."

While the steak is searing, Lana serves appetizers made from whatever is in season. Strawberries in the spring. Asparagus that grows wild. Green beans and tomatoes in the summer. Sourdough bread if her daughter's in town. She also mixes in SRF meat — bacon jalapeño poppers, mushrooms with sausage, pork tenderloin smoked with apricot sauce. Always bacon the next day, served with eggs from their own chickens.

"It's neat to be a rancher in the restaurant world. To see it all the way to the table, all year round," Kent notes.

Explore the American Wagyu cuts behind Kent's Perfect Steak — American Wagyu Steaks →

Ranch Life: What It Really Takes to Raise SRF Beef

Not every day is a "we're hosting a famous chef" day. There are a lot of long hours spent tending to their Wagyu herd in wide open terrain. That's when the Clarks stash jerky in their saddle packs or cut summer sausage for the hardworking crew from the flatbed of the pickup.

Out here, every meal comes with a sense of place you can taste. And that sense of place — 80,000 acres of Washington highlands, seven years of genetics, a family that has built their life around raising exceptional beef — is what arrives at your door when you order Snake River Farms.

Go deeper on the land and cattle behind our beef. Read The Herd  → 

Author Bio

Dave Yasuda has worked with Snake River Farms for over 12 years, cooking virtually every product we sell. He has prepared SRF products for photoshoots, food festivals, company events, and customers. A skilled home cook, Dave has collaborated in the kitchen with award-winning chefs, recipe developers, and content creators to enhance his culinary skills. He has also been a featured guest on numerous food-centric podcasts, including Bon Appetit’s “Dinner SOS” hosted by Chris Morocco.