SRF BLOG

This year, we asked our Snake River Farms family members about their must-do holiday routines. And you know what? We discovered all traditions celebrate the same thing: the simple joy of being together.

You can’t always be with your entire family for the holidays. But with friends, home is wherever you’re together. Over the past few years, so many of us have had to change, rearrange, and cancel our holiday plans. But there has been a silver lining: The rise of Friendsgiving. Yes, Friendsgiving often lacks the comfort of family tradition — but it makes up for it in a freewheeling “Let’s try it!” spirit. 

A perfect prime rib should be evenly cooked throughout — without an unsightly, overcooked gray band — and have a delicious, meaty sear. To get it right, ThermoWorks has the tools and thermal know-how you need to get it done.

SRF & Southside Market Fully Cooked Products Imagine enjoying authentic Texas barbeque without spending 12 hours minding a smoker. Some call it crazy, but others say it’s genius. Snake River Farms has partnered with Southside Market and Barbeque to create four smoked, fully cooked staples of Central Texas BBQ: American Wagyu brisket, Kurobuta pork steak and two kinds of sausage. Smoked on a classic off-set smoker over Texas post oak wood, these are mouthwatering products you just need to thaw, heat and eat. Southside Market and Barbeque is the oldest BBQ establishment in Texas, where brisket and BBQ are the unofficial state foods. We work with owners Bryan and Rachel Bracewell, the third generation of Bracewells to operate Southside, to produce our line of fully cooked, smoked American Wagyu and Kurobuta pork products. There are four items in our first wave of Southside dishes. Let’s look at each one.          Smoked Brisket Southside starts with SRF Black® briskets. These are the same American Wagyu brisket used by the top competition BBQ teams at prestigious KCBS events. According to Bryan, “From a quality standpoint, SRF American Wagyu briskets are second to none. The product is so juicy and flavorful.” For the SRF briskets, Bryan and his pitmasters use the same equipment and techniques they employ for their restaurants. The rub is just salt and pepper, like most BBQ joints across Texas. The smokers burn 100% Texas post oak with no gas assist. Each 14 to 16 pound full packer brisket is cooked low and slow at 210°F to 225°F for 12 to 14 hours. The recipe for perfect Central Texas, according to Bryan is “Great, high quality beef, simple dry rub, post oak, and time.” We were surprised and delighted at the result of the SRF smoked brisket. It’s possible to serve an authentic Texas brisket without a smoker or the time and effort required. Each smoked brisket is sealed in a protective wrapper and quick frozen. The average finished weight is about 9 pounds.    How to Heat Smoked Brisket  Your order will arrive frozen. All meat should be thawed completely before heating.  Grill - Wrap in foil and place on BBQ pit/grill over indirect head (300°F) until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Oven - Wrap in foil and place in a 350°F conventional oven for up to 2 hours or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.       Smoked Pork Steak  Pork steak isn’t something you’ll find everywhere in the U.S. It’s a Central Texas specialty served at Southside’s restaurants and has become something of a local legend. In fact, other BBQ establishments added them to their menus after they were so passionately embraced by BBQ connoisseurs in Central Texas. Southside uses our Kurobuta pork collars for the steaks. Each collar is sliced, seasoned with their savory rub which includes salt, black pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, and garlic. From there, the steaks get the full smoke treatment with Texas post oak wood. Bryan says, “SRF Kurobuta pork collars are the biggest surprise I’ve had in a while. The pork has a wonderful flavor and the fat renders down beautifully.” We were impressed with the SRF smoked pork steaks. The seasoning harmonizes with the Kurobuta, and the final result is juicy and tender.   How to Heat Smoked Pork Steak  Your order will arrive frozen. All meat should be thawed completely before heating.  Grill - Wrap in foil and place on BBQ pit/grill over indirect head (300°F) until internal temperature reaches 165°F. Oven - Wrap in foil and place in a 350°F conventional oven for 20-30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.       Smoked Beef Sausage  This is the original Southside product with a history dating back to the market’s origin in 1882. William Moon, the founder, started making sausage so beef left over from his door-to-door deliveries wouldn’t go to waste. This was before the advent of refrigeration, so beef sausage was a way to utilize all his product. Known as “Elgin Hot Sausage” or “Hot Guts” by locals, this is Southside’s best-selling product. They make it fresh daily and on Saturdays they sell about 1,400 pounds! Bryan updated the original recipe to use Snake River Farms American Wagyu beef. Our beef is ground coarse, seasoned with fresh cracked black pepper and formed into natural pork casing. It goes into the smoker where it becomes sausage perfection. The cooked smoked beef sausage has a tender texture and robust flavor that had us heading back to the sample table to try “just one more bite”. Each package contains four sausages and weighs about 13 ounces.    How to Heat Smoked Beef Sausage  Your order will arrive frozen. All meat should be thawed completely before heating.  Grill - Place on 325°F grill for 15 minutes. Turn over and continue heating for an additional 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 165°F. Oven - Place on a sheet pan in a 325°F oven for 20 minutes. Turn over and continue heating for an additional 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 165°F.       Smoked Jalapeno Cheddar Pork & Beef Sausage  Texas is known for its spicy cuisine and the smoked jalapeno cheddar pork and beef sausage lives up to the reputation. The Southside secret is  fresh jalapeno peppers, hand-picked by their expert sausage makers. Lesser sausages are made with canned or frozen peppers, which don’t have quite the same punch. Real cheddar cheese is another key ingredient. We love how the chunks of cheddar melted inside and added a smooth, rich bite. The cheese and fresh jalapenos combine perfectly with our pork and beef to create a balanced attack of richness and spice. This was a product that took us by surprise during our tasting session and quickly became a favorite. Each package contains four sausages and weighs in about 13 ounces. Like all our Southside products, these are fully cooked, so prep is fast and easy. Thaw the frozen product then heat in the smoker, grill or sauté in a skillet. Cook until the internal temp reaches 165°F, remove from the heat source and serve.   How to heat Smoked Beef Sausage  Your order will arrive frozen. All meat should be thawed completely before heating.  Grill - Place on 325°F grill for 15 minutes. Turn over and continue heating for an additional 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 165°F. Oven - Place on a sheet pan in a 325°F oven for 20 minutes. Turn over and continue heating for an additional 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 165°F.       Fully Cooked = Fantastic  Smoked, fully products are a new direction for Snake River Farms and not one we take lightly. If you’re a seasoned backyard pitmaster, you know the skill it takes to properly smoke a brisket. But if you live in a condo or don’t own a smoker, it’s now possible to create a brisket party that will impress your guests. The pork steak and sausages are a must for anyone longing for a taste of Central Texas. Delicious, yet easy to prepare, they can be part of your larder for quick meals or impromptu dinners. Give them a try. We’d love to hear your thoughts.  

Southside Market and Barbeque in Elgin, Texas is the oldest BBQ operation in the state. That’s one of the reasons Snake River Farms decided to work with Southside for our line of fully cooked American Wagyu and Kurobuta pork items.

Meet our partners, Bryan and Rachel Bracewell, the third-generation proprietors of Southside Market and Barbecue. Southside provides the expertise to produce our new line of fully cooked American Wagyu smoked brisket, Kurobuta pork steaks, and beef and pork sausages.These new products are the delicious result of combining our quality beef and pork with Southside’s 140 years of experience. Learn about Southside’s deep history that started in Texas back in 1882.

After you’ve just enjoyed the brisket you spent hours preparing, the first question that comes to mind is, “What are we going to do with the leftovers?”. Luckily, leftover brisket is versatile and can be used for a multitude of delicious meals. At Snake River Farms, one of our favorites is brisket tacos. They are easy to prepare and can be made to match your favorite style. Leftover brisket chili is a hearty meal that is sure to please a crowd. You also can’t go wrong with a classic leftover brisket sandwich. 

Fridge? Water? Microwave? Learn about the preferred method of thawing an SRF steak to provide the best experience possible.

When it comes to meat and fresh vs frozen debate, it's important to understand how modern methods have closed the gap. Fresh? Frozen? Which is better? Discover the differences of fresh vs frozen meat and the effect each option has on quality.

Learn about lesser known steaks that are incredibly delicious and how the quality of American Wagyu beef elevates them to a new level.

What's the difference between a pork shoulder and a pork collar? A pork shoulder is exactly as described - the shoulder of the hog. The collar is part of the larger shoulder and is cut from the portion that runs from the neck to the tip of the loin. Technically it is called a “center cut boneless pork butt”. Learn more about the background of the pork shoulder and the collar as we break down the details below.

Pulled pork is one of the easiest things to make at home. Learn about the simple steps to turn a Kurobuta pork collar into a generous portion of amazing pulled pork.

The first step to successfully smoking meat is selecting the smoker that best suits your needs. Anyone who’s done a little smoker shopping knows there are many choices available to produce that classic smokey goodness. 

Brisket trimmings are incredibly versatile and can be used for so many things. While many toss their trimmings aside, we suggest saving them and using them in recipes.

Burnt ends. The name itself doesn’t sound appetizing, but to anyone who has had the pleasure of biting into one of these beautiful brisket bites, it conjures up visions of a savory, rich BBQ delicacy.Learn more about burnt ends, and more importantly, how to make them yourself in the article below. 

Snake River Farms is proud to produce 100% purebred Kurobuta pork, considered by chefs as the culinary equivalent of Wagyu beef. This uniquely delicious pork comes from a specific heritage breed of hog. Learn how this special breed is raised and why it is known as “the world’s finest pork”.

Steak enthusiasts are well-acquainted with the prestigious "Big Three" – ribeye, filet mignon, and strip steaks. These cuts are sought after and renowned for their sumptuous flavor and tender texture. All three originate from the rib and loin sections, often referred to as the "middle meats" due to their location.

New York Strips are a classic steakhouse cut and a steak that carries a premium price. A great way to economically source a pile of these premium steaks is to purchase a full striploin and cut it into New York strips yourself. Here’s a simple guide to cutting strip steaks from a whole striploin. No special equipment is required, and it’s an enjoyable way to actively participate in creating the steaks you serve.

Nothing says summer like a batch of hamburgers sizzling on the grill. These backyard bash staples are easy to make — and even easier to level up with these simple tips.

SRF’s cattle are born and bred on ranches like Northern Nevada’s massive IL Ranch — and tended to by folks like Sam Mori. Photographer Robert Jacob Lerma talks life, love and land with one of our longest-standing producers.

Here at SRF, we see a lot of cookbooks (and we mean a lot of cookbooks), but these are the cream of the crop. Whether you buy them for yourself or for your favorite home cook, they’re sure to become kitchen staples.

Three acclaimed chefs — Hugh Acheson in Athens, Georgia; Carlo Lamagna in Portland, Oregon; and Alex Lee in Old Westbury, New York — share their best tips for turning out restaurant-worthy meals in your own kitchen. Now, it’s time to put all those new ideas to work!

Whether you're looking for your first grill, looking to replace your current one or add a new piece of equipment to your collection, this guide will help you select the ideal grill for you and your cooking style.

The size of a steak is easily measured in ounces, but it’s important to know how thick it is cut. Thickness gives a complete picture of a steak’s quality. Learn about Snake River Farm’s steak cutting program and how our master butcher’s cut to thickness, not weight, to deliver a premium product to our customers.