I was making a quick run through Walmart today, grabbing a few last minute things for Christmas. As I briskly strolled past the meat section, dodging carts left and right, I noticed a small section with American Wagyu steaks. I didn’t stop and look, because I was in a hurry. Got home and started thinking about it and googled it. Reviews online are so so. Anyone’s local Walmart have this in stock? Anyone tried the Walmart version?

Walmart wagyu beef

Stop shopping at WalMart. Don't buy a pack of gum, don't even walk in there.

Well, it's American Wagyu. American wagyu and Japanese wagyu are two very different things.

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Originally posted by parabellum:
Stop shopping at WalMart. Don't buy a pack of gum, don't even walk in there.

We don’t shop there very much. If I didn’t have to get 2 last minute gifts, it would have been Aldi’s or the other grocery store in town.

Wagyu is just a breed of cattle, like Angus. Doesn't Tammy mean anything intrinsically.

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Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
Well, it's American Wagyu. American wagyu and Japanese wagyu are two very different things.

For sure. I was just surprised to see any type of Wagyu at Walmart. Especially at this one.

I limit my shopping at WalMart as much as I can. I would never buy meat there. The ground beef in the puffed up packs of nitrogen are scary looking. Reminds me of the tube steak you could buy back in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

That said, I live in Cottonwood AZ. If they don’t have it at Safeway, or Frys, and I’m not committed enough to make an hour drive, WalMart it is.
Thee is no Target, K-Mart, Sears here is appliances only, really, if one needs a griddle or Christmas decorations, unless you wish to drive to Flagstaff or Prescott, you don’t have any other choice than Walmart.

That said, I make the trip to Prescott more often than any sane person would.

In case you’re too young to know what I mean by tube steak...

Beancooker, I used to laugh when I’d walk by those huge tubes of ground beef. Just the shape is, well....ugh.

As Balzé Halzé said, there's a difference between Japanese Wagyu and "American Wagyu Beef" (or "American Kobe-Style Beef"). The Japanese stock is purebread. The American version is purebread Wagyu cross-bred with American cattle breeds like Angus. The result is supposedly high quality meat more suited to American tastes, and also much more cost-effective.

Only reason I ever went to Walmart was to buy range ammo, and they pissed that away...

Walmart= NO

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Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
Well, it's American Wagyu. American wagyu and Japanese wagyu are two very different things.

I'm sure it's not even American Wagyu. It's likely very small % Wagyu and 80%+ American breed stock.

The link provided showed a very nicely marbled steak, but no grading. USDA or Japanese. From the looks of it, it looks like a prime grade steak, at $20 a lbs that's a reasonable price for an individual prime ribeye.

Too bad I will never see in person. Only time I go to Walmart is while camping or otherwise out of my environment.

First mistake is you walked into a Walmart, second is you actually looked at the merchandise and gave it some consideration.

Stop feeding the problem.

Why the hate for Walmart?

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Originally posted by Fenris:
Why the hate for Walmart?

Previously, their only redeeming quality was selling inexpensive ammo and in Alaska they had a better pistol, rifle, and shotgun selection than anywhere else in the State (everything in pistol from .22LR to .500 S&W, and everything in rifle from .17 HMR to .416 Rigby).

That all ended this fall when they stopped selling handgun ammo nationwide and discontinued handgun sales in Alaska. They're woke and I hope they go broke.

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
Why the hate for Walmart?

Could it be all of their unsavory customers? Perhaps a clear lack of enough cashiers at any time of the day or night? Or possibly their anti-gun anti-ammunition sales stance? or several other things?

All of the above.

Lots of good beef available for sale on interwebs, or locally if you have some good farms near you.

I was fortunate enough to dine at a restaurant that served this beef, and its incredible.

https://heartbrandbeef.com

I read a story about the ranch in Texas Monthly. Apparently the Japanese let a breeding group of these out of the country legally and the owners set up a ranch in Harwood Texas. For the article I read, the Japanese government closed the legal loophole and this will never happen again.

https://heartbrandcattle.com/what-is-an-akaushi/

It’s not just breed that makes wagyu what it is. Care and feed is a big part. Just seems unlikely here. Same as $100 mango and $1000 melon.

I don’t love Walmart and I don’t hate Walmart. I buy toilet paper, Caress, and Tide. When I need beef or any type of meat I go to a butcher shop. Can’t imagine buying meats or fish at Walmart.

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Originally posted by Fenris:
Why the hate for Walmart?

Because, they're not the best choice.

The lefties like to ironically point out that Walmart is the ultimate representation of capitalism. Perhaps, however capitalism also means choice; I choose not to shop at Walmart. It represents the lowest common denominator in terms of quality of goods; for those who are financially fixed or, at the lower end of the economic spectrum, quality of goods is not a high priority or, more of an aspiration. Their corporate decision matrix ultimately screws-over their vendors/suppliers, relationship building is not apart of their business plan. The stores are not very attractive, they're not inviting, nor are they located in areas of town that I care to go to. Everyone has a choice, I choose to avoid Walmart.