What does a butcher actually see when they look at a cow?

In this episode, we sit down with Travis Stockstill, Dir of Operations at Jack Mountain Meats—a career butcher who has processed over 75,000 animals, been selected to the US Butchery Team and understands the full lifecycle of beef from harvest to retail.

We break down:

• How butchers evaluate carcasses
• Why so much beef becomes grind
• The difference between Wagyu and conventional processing
• Underrated cuts consumers should be buying
• How ranchers can get more value from every animal

This is a real conversation about how the meat industry actually works—and how to think differently about beef.

Learn more about Travis: @Americanbutcher on instagram

Host of "The Meat Block" podcast

What does Kenji López-Alt really think about Wagyu?

In this episode of The Meat Dudes, we sit down with chef, author of The Food Lab, and one of the most influential voices in modern food science — Kenji López-Alt.

We dive deep into Wagyu beef, steak cooking, and the science behind what actually makes great beef great. From the confusion around “American Wagyu” to how fat really behaves in the pan, this conversation breaks down myths, clears up misconceptions, and gives practical advice for both home cooks and serious meat lovers.

We cover:

• What Wagyu actually means (and why it’s so confusing)

• The difference between American Wagyu, F1, and A5

• How Wagyu cooks differently than conventional beef

• Why fat type matters more than just fat amount

• Whether more marbling always means better flavor

• How to properly cook Wagyu at home (without overthinking it)

• Steak myths: resting, sous vide, and grilling

• What actually makes a great burger

• Kenji’s favorite steak cuts and go-to cooking methods

If you care about better beef, better cooking, and understanding what’s really happening when you throw a steak in a pan — this one’s for you.

Learn more about Kenji: https://www.kenjilopezalt.com

Grass-fed beef always has yellow fat… right?

Not always.

In this episode of The Meat Dudes, we chat with returning guest Andrew Shirley of River Valley Wagyu (Olympia, Washington) — a 100% grass-fed, no-grain-ever, full-blood Wagyu rancher — to break down what “grass-fed” actually means and why the yellow-fat test can be misleading.

We dig into what really drives fat color (forage, beta carotene, age, breed, and region), why Washington grass-fed can look different than Florida, and how “terroir” shows up in beef the same way it does in wine.

We also cover:

• Can grass-fed Wagyu consistently hit prime-level marbling?
• Genetics vs feed — and why marbling genes matter more on grass
• Regenerative / adaptive multi-paddock grazing (AMP) explained
• Why the grass-fed vs grain-fed debate gets oversimplified
• Favorite cuts, roasts, and solving the “whole cow” problem

If you care about transparency, flavor, nutrition, and understanding beef beyond the labels — this one’s for you.

Stay meat curious.

Find River Valley Wagyu: rivervalleywagyu.com