What Makes Meat N' Bone Beef So Special? - Meat N' Bone

What Makes Meat N' Bone Beef So Special?

· Updated Posted by Meat N' Bone

Every couple weekends I work the front desk of our boutique butcher store at Coral Way. I love interacting with customers and I feel that I grow as a professional when I talk one-on-one with customers. Moreover, it helps me keep a pulse on the market and to hear directly from our customers what they really think.

The most common question our first time customers have is:

What Makes Our Beef So Special?

Well, our beef is not special. It is just of extremely high quality and our offering is consistent. That is what the Meat N' Bone brand stands for. We have developed our supply chain so that we only sell the cream of the crop; only the best. That said, many other brands offer high quality beef but can they match our consistent and high quality offering? Probably not, but you get the point.

People walk in and ask us how we compare to other brands, which is sometimes a bit awkward. The reality is, we don't. We sell better quality beef than any supermarket, mostly because we work with smaller quantities which allows us to age our beef for longer, to hand-cut and trim every steak, and to make everything just right, time and time again.

For Us, Butchering Meat Is An Art

We encourage our customers to compare our product against that of our competitors. If you know how and where to look, you can find excellent meat at places like your local Costco or Whole Foods. Heck even JBS (aka: Wild Fork Foods; bet you didn't know that.) can have some high quality beef, but you have to look hard and be somewhat "lucky."

We work with some pretty strict criteria such as:

  • We only work with G1 certified beef.
  • We age our beef for over 30 days.
  • We source from specific networks of farms to maintain consistency.

1. We Care About The Farms We Work With

For our Midwestern Beef (Prime and Choice), we work with a network of family farmers in the corn belt states: Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and Illinois. We choose these farmers because they raise Angus breed of cattle which is the best for steaks in an area that grows the best feed. We stay away from dairy cattle states.

All of the farms we work with have nutritionists on staff, and follow ethical standards. Our cows are provided high quality feed which includes a mix of grass and high quality grain. We believe you are what you eat, so the right mix is important.

I hesitate from mentioning specific farms because as we work with family co-operatives, so we do our first round of quality control at the plants which is where the beef is inspected to meet G1 certification standards (the top % of choice and of prime). This is also so we comply with all government regulations and are able to cross states.

The reason we chose to do it this way is so that we can scale and maintain consistency. If the supply, grade or quality slips in a specific area, we can maintain consistency with beef from farmers in another area. It’s all about quality and consistency which is really what is difficult to maintain.

2. We Hand-Select And Hand-Cut Our Meat

G1 means we are only working with AAA cattle that is less than 30 months old by the time its processed, with a ribeye area that is between 10.0 - 16.0 square inches (this is how we provide thick steaks). Our hot carcass weight has to be below 1050 lbs (the meat industry usually goes up to 1600 or more).

After we receive the beef, we age it. We hand-select every cut so it meets our standards and to keep consistency. All of our cuts are aged for 20-30 days. Our very best cuts (and when it makes sense) are dry aged for 45-60 days. We also hand-cut and trim all of our steaks.

We follow the same strict standards when it comes to sourcing our pork, lamb and Wagyu.

3. Our Wagyu Beef Is World-Class

Our Wagyu offering is particularly interesting. We buy from a miriad of suppliers in Colorado, Australia and Japan. We select what we think is the best cut from each program. All of our A5 Japanese beef comes from MiyazakiGyu.

That said, we are flexible. If we feel that quality changes/drops (and this can and does happen) we will switch providers, which is why we are not integrated vertically with anyone. This is rare because it is the more difficult way to work.

Our beef is the same you will find in some of Chicago's top steakhouses. We have received over 600 reviews for our products and not a single one of them has been negative. That says something.

Our secret is to work really hard at sourcing, focus on quality and customer service. That is the Meat N' Bone difference.

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About What Makes Meat N' Bone Beef So Special?

We take such great pride in sourcing only the highest quality beef and Wagyu beef for our customers, and consistently. Learn more about the Meat N' Bone difference.

Questions

What makes Meat N' Bone beef different from supermarket or competitor brands?

Meat N' Bone focuses on consistency and high quality by sourcing only G1 certified beef, aging it for over 30 days, and hand-cutting every steak, resulting in a product that stands out from mass-market offerings. The company works with smaller quantities which allows for longer aging, hand-cutting and trimming of every steak, and consistent quality control.

Where does Meat N' Bone source its beef?

The company partners with family farms in Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and Illinois, selecting Angus cattle raised on a mix of grass and high-quality grain. All farms have nutritionists on staff and follow ethical standards. Meat N' Bone avoids dairy cattle states to ensure optimal flavor and tenderness.

What is G1 certified beef, and why does it matter?

G1 certification means the beef comes from AAA cattle under 30 months old, with a ribeye area between 10.0-16.0 square inches and hot carcass weight below 1050 lbs. This ensures thick, tender, and flavorful steaks that meet the top percentage of choice and prime beef standards.

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How long does Meat N' Bone age its beef?

All cuts are aged for 20-30 days. The very best cuts are dry-aged for 45-60 days when it makes sense. This extended aging process develops deeper flavor and enhanced tenderness.

How does Meat N' Bone ensure quality and consistency in its Wagyu offerings?

Meat N' Bone sources Wagyu from select programs in Colorado, Australia, and Japan, including A5 Japanese beef from MiyazakiGyu. The company switches suppliers if quality ever declines, maintaining strict standards and flexibility to ensure only the best cuts are offered.

What is the company's approach to customer feedback and service?

Meat N' Bone values direct customer interaction and uses feedback to improve. The company has received over 600 positive reviews with no negative reviews, reflecting a strong commitment to satisfaction, transparency, and quality customer service.

How does Meat N' Bone hand-select and hand-cut its meat?

After receiving beef, Meat N' Bone hand-selects every cut to meet their standards and maintain consistency. All steaks are hand-cut and trimmed to ensure proper thickness and quality. This artisanal approach is applied across all protein categories including pork, lamb, and Wagyu.

What makes Meat N' Bone's approach to sourcing unique?

Meat N' Bone works with specific networks of family farms rather than being vertically integrated with a single supplier. This allows the company to maintain consistency by sourcing from different regions if quality slips in one area, ensuring they always provide the best available beef.

How does Meat N' Bone compare to other premium beef retailers?

Meat N' Bone's beef is the same quality found in Chicago's top steakhouses. While competitors like Costco and Whole Foods may have high-quality beef, customers must look hard and be somewhat lucky to find it. Meat N' Bone guarantees consistent premium quality through rigorous sourcing and processing standards.

What is the Meat N' Bone difference?

The Meat N' Bone difference is built on working really hard at sourcing, focusing on quality, and providing exceptional customer service. The company's commitment to consistency, hand-crafted processing, and ethical farming partnerships sets it apart in the premium protein market.