My Mission: Finding Japanese A5 Wagyu Beef in Connecticut

Japanese Wagyu Beef is widely considered the finest in the world. It's mentioned in the same breath as Beluga Caviar and Black Truffles among foodies. It's also just as expensive.

Japanese Wagyu Beef is graded on a scale similar to what we do here in the United States, based on yield and quality. An "A" Rating is the highest grade given for the yield, and a "5" is the grade given to the highest quality. The "Holy Grail" of the steak world is Japanese Wagyu Beef with an A5 rating.

What makes Japanese Wagyu Beef so expensive? Look at the photos attached in this article. Have you ever seen marbling like that in your steak before? Wagyu Cows are fed a special mixture of rice, wheat and hay that fatten them up over the course of two years to where they are at almost 50% fat. The result is some of the most prized beef in the world, with exquisite marbling and a buttery taste.

As you can imagine, luxurious items are difficult to find in any category, and I've spent a long time trying to track down Japanese A5 Wagyu around Connecticut. One of the first places that I found that carries this treasure is David Burke Prime Steakhouse in Foxwoods Resort Casino. David Burke Prime sells a single Japanese Wagyu A5 Filet Mignon for $135. They also sell an American Wagyu Filet from Snake River Farms for $99.

The next place that I found A5 Wagyu Beef was a shock, Costco. Yes, Costco. You can go online at Costco.com and purchase Japanese Wagyu A5 NY Strips, Strip Loins, Ground Beef, Tenderloins, Roasts, and Ribeyes. I should warn you, prices range from $200 all the way up to $2,000.

Over the Summer, I found Japanese Wagyu A5 Beef was the Wegmans Supermarket in Harrison, NY. They sell an A5 NY Strip for $159.99. Wegmans is an astonishingly large supermarket by the way, and compared to some of our local markets, it's got everything.

Just this past weekend, Mrs. Large and I were up in Avon, Connecticut and I found a retail source selling A5, Avon Prime Meats, which is located on Rt. 44 at 395 West Main Street, had some A5 Strips and Ribeyes for sale, also in the $150 range.

I understand that not everyone can afford to drop $150 on a 1 pound piece of beef, me being one of them, but if you've never experienced the best of one of your favorite things in the whole world, fellow carnivore, it's time to take a ride to any of these locations and see what you're missing.