SRF BLOG

Find the Silver Lining - Introducing American Wagyu Silver™ If you're a Snake River Farms enthusiast, you know about our Black and Gold marbling designations. SRF Black® (also known as Black Grade) represents our standard high level of marbling for our American Wagyu beef. Those looking for our top tier marbling select products with the SRF Gold®.   A third option for Snake River Farms American Wagyu beef is SRF Silver® with marbling that falls below SRF Black®.  Shop American Wagyu Beef →   How to Pick the Right Grade for Your Tastes To understand how we classify SRF beef grades, it's good to know the basics of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) beef grading. The USDA separates domestic beef into eight grades based on intramuscular fat, also known as marbling, and other qualities like tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. The two highest grades are Prime and Choice. Prime is the top grade on the USDA scale and features abundant marbling. At Snake River Farms, we produce beef that exceeds USDA standards. To evaluate the exceptional levels of marbling and quality in our beef, we use the 12-point Beef Marbling Score (BMS)to measure intramuscular fat and identify the traits that make our beef rich, tender, and flavorful. SRF Black® and SRF Gold® both score above USDA Prime, while SRF Silver® has marbling scores like USDA Prime: SRF Silver® – BMS 5. Abundant marbling equivalent to USDA Prime. SRF Black® – BMS 6–8. Significantly more marbling than USDA Prime. SRF Gold® – BMS 9–10. Dramatically more marbling than USDA Prime. SRF Gold Plus™ – BMS 11–12. The highest marbling available from Snake River Farms.     Much More Than Marbling Marbling is a primary factor in determining beef quality. Other elements that affect flavor and texture are the cattle breed and how the animals are raised. Snake River Farms American Wagyu is a cross between purebred Japanese Wagyu and high-quality American cattle. These unique animals are raised on family-owned ranches and fed a special diet over a longer period of time than commodity beef. Both factors influence the final quality of SRF beef. The result is American Wagyu beef that has the rich marbling of Japanese Wagyu and the robust beef flavor that most folks associate with top-tier steaks and roasts.   Why Choose American Wagyu Silver™? While the marbling of SRF American Wagyu Silver™ is very similar to USDA Prime, it has other qualities that create a superior beef-eating experience. Meat scientists (yes, there really are meat scientists!) have run comprehensive taste tests and found that American Wagyu is significantly higher in buttery aroma and flavor, juiciness, tenderness, and umami. Although the results are from a scientific test, the differences are easy to detect for anyone who enjoys a good steak. SRF Silver® offers a new option to our full line of American Wagyu and USDA Choice and Prime beef. This new addition is a delicious option worth exploring.    Shop American Wagyu Beef →  

Elevate your holiday gathering with a delectable menu created by culinary maestros Nathan Michael and Julia Flowers. Discover a tantalizing lineup, including their signature Pepper Jelly Glazed Ham, Creamy Caramelized Onion Dip, indulgent Pimento Mac and Cheese, refreshing Shrimp Louie Salad, and a Spiced Maple Bourbon Cocktail that will leave your guests raving. Unwrap the secrets to a memorable holiday feast.

Create the perfect holiday meal with Snake River Farms' tenderloin roast guide. Learn tips for seasoning, cooking times, and serving a beautifully tender centerpiece.

Chef Chris Cosentino brings his expertise in whole animal cookery to Snake River Farms with exclusive recipes for the American Wagyu Tomahawk Prime Rib Roast. Perfect for a show-stopping holiday meal!

Snake River Farms Kurobuta hams are savory and delicious simply heated and served. If your taste buds are craving a little something extra, it’s easy to add a special touch of flavor with a glaze. A ham glaze can be as basic or fancy as you desire. Adding a glaze doesn’t have to be time-consuming with this fast-and-easy glaze. A great glaze combines elements of sweet, acid, and spice.

Your Kurobuta ham was the hit of the holidays. After the kitchen is cleaned and the good china is put away, there’s a generous amount of ham in your refrigerator. What’s the best way to use this precious ingredient? While ham and cheese sandwiches are tasty, there’s so much more you can do with this versatile meat. Here are some tips for using leftover ham for quick and satisfying post-holiday meals.

You cooked a perfect SRF prime rib and impressed your friends and family with your culinary skills. Now that dinner is done, you find there is some of the savory roast left to enjoy tomorrow. Here are some handy tips on storing and reheating your leftover bounty, as well as some of our favorite recipes.

Prime rib is an incomparable meal for holiday or special occasion dinners. One way to make this iconic dish more extraordinary is to prepare it in a smoker. This adds an enhanced layer of flavor to an already rich cut of beef.  Smoking prime rib is not difficult. Read on to learn how to smoke prime rib on a variety of smokers and grills.

The world has changed a lot since Robert Rebholtz Sr. founded Agri Beef back in 1968. New conversations around sustainability, conservation, and the humane treatment of cattle, have pushed us to become peerless stewards of the land and the herd. Many companies will tell you who they are, then separately tell you what they do. At Snake River Farms, we are what we do.

The Visionary A photo of Agri Beef founder, Robert Rebholtz Sr., hangs in our Boise, Idaho headquarters. White cowboy hat on his head, red kerchief around his neck, he peers off into the distance like a man looking into tomorrow. As a child, he spent his summers working at a Basque lamb operation in Stockton, CA. This is where he developed his passion for ranching and livestock that would guide the direction of his life. It’s easy to care within the confines of the status quo. To care enough to follow one’s vision into something completely new is always a risk. The label of “visionary” is tossed around a lot these days, but when someone sees an opportunity no one else has the means or moxie to recognize then the label is justly earned. “He was an amazing man,” Robert Rebholtz Jr., Agri Beef’s CEO, says about his father. “Integrity. Hard work. He was an innovator within the industry.” Before 1988, Wagyu bulls were a rarity in America. Robert Rebholtz Sr. had been in the cattle-feeding and ranching business for twenty years, had done well in an industry that had hardly changed in decades. He could’ve continued riding the well-worn path, but on a trip to Japan he fell in love with an idea to bring something new and exciting to the U.S. market. Over years of hard work and persistence, Rebholtz Sr.’s vision became the full-scale Wagyu breeding program that today provides 100% of Snake River Farms’ beef. The reverberations of Robert Rebholtz Sr.’s vision are easy to be found. Bred from Wagyu bulls and high-quality Continental cattle, what’s now known as American Wagyu beef, began as a novelty but is now regularly found on the tables of fine-dining restaurants, home cooks, and grill masters alike. The spirit of innovation Rebholtz Sr. brought to his life and company are stitched into the fabric of Snake River Farms, where we continue to honor our founder’s visionary mission to look beyond what’s already here and find the best in what could be.   Lead Cowboy  Robert Rebholtz Jr. leans against a split-rail fence, the sun setting over the foothills casting golden light over the black cows in the Double R’s back pasture. To him, the view never gets old. Robert was just 10 years old when he went on his first cattle drive. He was cautious and a little nervous. He didn’t want to mess up. He had a job to do and his age meant nothing to the cattle. Though just a boy, he hopped into the saddle as just another cowboy helping drive the herd out through the sage and hills with the dust in the air and the sun on his face. In 1997, after his father’s passing and at the age of 33, Robert Rebholtz Jr. faced another immense challenge. He was now CEO of Agri Beef. He’d be responsible for the livelihoods of many people. He knew the company’s reputation was only as good as their next decision. He knew he’d have to navigate a spectrum of personalities in an industry in flux. There’d be many sleepless nights, risks he’d have to calculate, but like the 10-year-old cowboy, the 33-year-old Robert Rebholtz Jr. took the reins and drove the herd forward. As did his father, Robert Rebholtz Jr. leads Snake River Farms with a quiet strength, a foundational belief in kindness, and a passion for care. We could talk at length about the myriad of excellent business decisions he’s made in his tenure, the purchasing of the Washington Beef Processing Facility, moving the company into controlling every aspect of the beef supply chain, buying the Double R Ranch, putting more energy and resources into developing the Snake River Farms’ brand, but to understand Robert Rebholtz Jr. is to know he’d rather be called Lead Cowboy than CEO. There are companies whose leadership got their starts in other industries and took the blind-leap into the beef business. We wish them well. But in some things experience matters. There’s no replicating a lifetime on horse-back in the herd, a long-held passion for the cattle and the land, and decades of relationships built to ensure Snake River Farms is not just another ranch-hand in a competitive industry, but through Robert Rebholtz Jr.’s example of hard work, integrity, and vision, we’ll sit as lead cowboy, tireless stewards of the best industry practices and the highest quality standards.    

The Old Homestead Steakhouse in New York City decided to run a promotion. They’d make a hamburger out of  Snake River Farms American Wagyu Beef. They’d put it on the menu for $41, making it the most expensive burger in the city.

You’ll find our herd grazing up in the foothills east of the Double R Ranch in Loomis, Washington. The cowboys ride their rounds, tracking down stragglers, checking on the health of the animals. In small bunches, a dozen head here, a mother and calf over there, the herd mills in the cool shade within the pine and aspen, feeding on high mountain grass.

Sea scallops add a touch of luxury to a meal. Tender and sweet, with a hint of brine, this popular seafood is a staple of fine dining but is also easy to prepare at home.

How to Cook Salmon Salmon is one of the most popular fish in the U.S. This top selling fish is known for its distinctive flavor, rich texture and health benefits. This unique fish is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids which are good for your heart, brain and eyesight. Most of all, salmon is just plain delicious. Discover more about the types of salmon offered by Snake River Farms and how to prepare this amazing fish.   Types of Salmon Take a look at your local seafood counter and you’ll see more than one kind salmon. There are five primary salmon species commonly found at the market – chinook (also called king), coho, pink, sockeye and Atlantic. Each type of salmon has unique characteristics including color, fat content and texture. We’ll talk about the specific traits of the three species SRF offers below.Another important factor to consider when buying salmon where it is harvested. The two options are farmed raised or sourced in the wild. Wild-caught salmon provides the best of all worlds. It has superior flavor, texture, natural color, and is a sustainable since it is raised in the natural coastal fisheries which are carefully monitored and maintained. Nutritionally, farmed salmon has more fat, but wild salmon contains a higher amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids and naturally occurring minerals like iron and calcium. Wild salmon has a pronounced natural color, while farmed salmon is fed supplements to boost the color of the flesh. All salmon on the SRF website is wild-caught.All farm-raised salmon is the species Salmo salar, also known as Atlantic salmon. Commercial salmon farming operations are located around the world. The two largest producers are Norway and Chile. Just like beef ranches some salmon farms are better than others. Third-party entities exist to certify farmed salmon based on quality and sustainability.   1. Coho Salmon Coho salmon, also known as silver salmon, has a lighter red-orange color and a lower fat content than sockeye and king salmon. Coho has a medium fat content with a mild, subtle flavor that’s slightly sweet. Coho salmon’s texture is medium firm, with a gentle bite.In the wild, coho are a dark metallic blue or greenish color and their backs with silver sides and a light colored belly. These salmon are generally smaller in size, so they are a good source of larger cuts, like the 1.8 lb. fillets available from SRF.   2. Sockeye Salmon  Sockeye salmon is sometimes referred to as red salmon, due to its bright red-orange flesh and savory rich flavor. The skin of sockeye salmon also turns a deep red hue as the migratory fish travels upstream to spawn. When you find sockeye in the seafood counter, the skin is sliver since the wild-caught fish are caught in the ocean.Sockeye is a small variety of Pacific salmon with an average weight of 10 pounds. This species is celebrated for its firm texture and rich flavor. Wild caught sockeye has a high level of flavorful fat which ranks just behind the fat content found in King salmon.   3. King Salmon Known as Chinook Salmon, the King Salmon is the largest Pacific salmon species. King salmon weigh about 40 pounds but can be as large as 80 pounds. Known for its deep red color, king salmon has a high level of rich oil. Its omega-3 fatty acid levels are twice as high as sockeye. King salmon has succulent flesh with delicate, large flakes and a buttery texture. Its flavor is rich, but milder compared to sockeye, making it an ideal choice for palates that prefer a more mild profile.     Salmon Internal Temperature  The natural fat content of salmon provides great flavor and makes it more heat resistant than leaner fish. Regardless, it’s important to know the best internal temperature for salmon cooked to perfection. No matter the cooking method used, carefully monitor the temperature to avoid overcooked and dry fish.Chefs recommend, and we agree, the ideal temperature for salmon is 125°F. This is a medium level of doneness that is rich and moist with gently flaking salmon. Cooking to a temperature higher than 130°F. can produce dry, overly firm results. Salmon is a fish that some prefer seared with a cool center. If you prefer rare, cook to a temperature of at least 120°F.   Grilled Salmon  Grilled salmon is a summertime stand-by. Since salmon has a higher oil content than many fish, it holds up well to this cooking method. Salmon’s rich flavor does not require anything more than simple seasonings and the bright burst of fresh lemon. An easy grilling method for salmon filets is to cook them skin side down and allow them to cook without flipping. This develops a crispy skin and eliminates concerns of fish sticking to the grill. Fully defrost salmon filets in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Pat filets dry and brush both sides generously with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper on both sides of the fillets Set your grill up for 2-zone cooking with a hot side and a cool side. Heat clean grill to medium/high (about 400°F). Lightly season the grill with paper towels dipped in a high smoke point vegetable oil (avocado and grapeseed are good) to help prevent sticking. Place salmon on the grill, skin side down on the cool side and close the lid. Cook until the skin is light brown and the flesh is opaque. Total grilling time will be about 10 minutes, but open the lid and check the temperature after about 5 minutes. Continue to monitor the temperature and remove salmon from the grill when it reaches 125°F. Allow to rest 5 minutes. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top and serve.   Baked Salmon in Parchment  Cooking salmon in parchment (en papillote) is a French technique that steam cooks the fish with wonderfully moist and tender results. The finished dish resembles poached salmon and captures all the natural juices of the fish. Fully defrost the salmon in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Heat oven to 400°F. Cut baking parchment into a rectangular about three times longer than the salmon filets. You will need one piece of parchment for each filet. Place a ½ tablespoon of butter in the middle of the parchment. Place salmon on top. Brush filets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place thin slices of lemon on top. Finish with a sprinkle of chopped green onion. Pull up the two longest ends of the parchment up and fold them two to three times. Close with paper clips. Roll the two ends of the parchment to seal them and close with more paper clips. Set the parchment packets on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for until the internal temperature reached 125°F (about 9 to 10 minutes). The salmon filets should be opaque and the flesh just beginning to flake. Checking the temperature of the salmon is more of a challenge with this method. Go ahead and poke the thermometer probe through the parchment after about 6 or 7 minutes.   Air Fryer Salmon  The air fryer has quickly become a kitchen equipment staple and we receive frequent requests for prep methods using this time saving appliance. This method produces results that resembles pan seared salmon – a moist interior and crisp exterior. Air fryers cook food quickly, so check internal temp early and often to prevent overcooking. Fully defrost the salmon in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Pat filets dry and brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set air fryer to 400°F. When hot, place filet in the basket skin side down. Total cook time is 7 to 8 minutes. After 5 minutes, check the salmon internal temperature. The target is 125°F. When the filets reach 125°F. remove from air fryer. Season with fresh lemon juice and serve.   How to Cook Frozen Salmon  Forget to thaw your salmon the night before? It is possible to cook salmon filets from frozen with good results. Here are two different methods to try when you’re in a time crunch. BAKED SALMON – Frozen Salmon Brush filets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the filets in an ovenproof baking dish. Seal the baking dish with foil. This provides an enclosed environment to thaw the fish and retain its moisture. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake until the internal temperature reaches 125°F (about 9 to 10 minutes). Let rest for 3 to 4 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges. AIR FRYER – Frozen Salmon Pat filets dry and brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set air fryer to 400°F. When hot, place filet in the basket skin side down. Total cook time is 7 to 8 minutes. After 5 minutes, check the salmon internal temperature. The target is 125°F.   Our Favorite Salmon Recipes  Honey Garlic Glazed Salmon Sweet and savory honey and garlic glazed salmon is a favorite. The glaze comes together quickly and coats the salmon before baking it in the oven. The salmon is flavorful and delicious and great accompanied by a salad or sautéed greens for a quick and impressive meal. > Learn More Basic Grilled King Salmon A fast way to cook our King Salmon is to use a skillet or grill. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook the fillets, skin side down over medium high until the skin is crisp, then flip over and finish for two more minutes.> Learn More   Salmon is a dish that is loved by many due to its rich flavor and health benefits. It’s easy to prepare using a wide number of preparation methods and is the centerpiece of quick meals or more formal dinners. A beautiful protein by itself, but try it alongside a Snake River Farms steak for a simple Surf & Turf.     

Halibut is a highly prized ocean-going fish known for its delicate flavor and firm flakey texture. Not only is it delicious, but halibut is low in fat and high in Omega 3 fatty acids. Found in the cold waters of the Northwest Pacific, this popular fish is versatile and works well with a wide range of cooking techniques.

Learn about this easy technique and the temperatures to target to create a steak cooked just the way you like it.

Snake River Farms offers beef in five different grades. Double R Ranch Northwest beef options are USDA Choice and USDA Prime. American Wagyu is offered in SRF Silver™, SRF Black® and SRF Gold®. What are the differences between these grades? And which one is best for your next meal? We’ll explore these grades and look at the different flavor profiles of USDA grades and American Wagyu.

When it comes to steak, you have many choices. Yet the New York strip and ribeye steaks rank high on the Top Ten for steak lovers. You really can’t go wrong with either one. Both are marbled, tender and packed with flavor. Let’s take a closer look at the differences between these two cuts, how they taste, and which one is truly the King of Steaks.

Ribeyes are often called the steak lover’s steak. Snake River Farms American Wagyu ribeye steaks are a steak lover’s dream. Beautiful marbling infuses each American Wagyu ribeye steak with complex flavor and juiciness.

Cutting against the grain is simple. Find the direction of the muscle fibers, then slice at a 90° angle. Read on to learn more about this important meat carving skill.

Read on to learn more about Wagyu ground beef and how it differs from regular beef, plus we include some of our favorite recipes that you are sure to love.

Japanese A5 Wagyu is a premium grade of beef  prized by chefs and foodies worldwide. Learn how A5 wagyu compares to American wagyu.

Think all pork chops are thin and dry? Snake River Farms Kurobuta pork chops will change your mind forever. Here's how to make the most of them.

Grilling is synonymous with steak. Here at Snake River Farms, we heartily support that notion. But here’s a thought - the next time you have a bunch of friends and family heading to your backyard, try firing up a larger cut of beef or pork.Team SRF, our hand-picked squad of chefs, pitmasters and grilling experts, presents three delicious recipes, custom made for a larger number of hungry folks.