Gold Grade Tenderloin Pieces are random sized pieces of our highest quality American Wagyu beef. When we cut filet mignon steaks, there are small pieces of premium quality steak left over. This is the starting point for fancy main dishes or elevated versions of your favorite stew or chili recipes.
Gold Grade is the highest level of marbling available from Snake River Farms, which makes these tenderloin pieces a luxurious starting point for beef bourguignon, stroganoff, hearty soups and more. Each one pound package has some variation in sizes so this product is best used as an ingredient. Give your everyday dining a gourmet boost with these delicious American Wagyu tenderloin pieces. We recommend adding a package or two to your next order.
Beef Grading 101
These tenderloin pieces are American Wagyu Gold Grade, rated 9+ on the Japanese Beef Marbling Score (BMS)
Beef sold in the U.S. is graded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). There are eight total grades and the top grade is USDA Prime.
All Snake River Farms American Wagyu beef grades above Prime. Special breeds of cattle like Japanese Wagyu are capable of producing marbling beyond their American counterparts. To grade this high level of marbling, we adopted the Japanese Beef Marbling Score.
Using BMS, beef marbling is measured on a scale from 1 to 12, with a 1 being Select beef and a 12 being the highest level of marbling possible.
BMS 4 to 5 USDA Prime
BMS 6 to 8 SRF Black Grade
BMS 9+ SRF Gold Grade
Meatology
Tenderloin pieces are obtained from the loin primal located under the ribs and next to the spine. Filets mignons are sourced from the psoas major, a muscle that receives minimal use. Exercise makes a muscle tough, so the lack of physical activity makes the filet mignon a very tender steak. This muscle has minimal marbling so it does not have the flavorful fat found in ribeyes or New York strips. Our American Wagyu tenderloin has a higher amount of marbling than USDA Prime grade tenderloin which makes for a more flavorful filet mignon.
Fast fact: Meat scientists have proven the tenderloin is the most tender of all cuts using a measure called shear force. The tenderloin scored 5.7 of shear force, which is lower than any other cut of beef.
