All of Gourmet Food Store’s Wagyu beef is sourced from Australia, one of the world’s premier sources of Wagyu, and many of our Wagyu products include a marble score, a major component of the AUS-MEAT beef quality grading system. This marble score – or MS, for short – denotes the degree of visible intramuscular fat found within the meat, which appears in fine, white streaks and specks on the red muscle. Marbling scores are expertly graded from 3 to 12 by independent, qualified assessors, who base the score on the ribeye muscle of each cow. In determining the score, they assess the quantity, distribution and texture of the visible fat flecks.
One of the reasons Wagyu beef is so highly revered is for its buttery, exquisite taste, which it acquires during cooking as the fat melts and infuses the meat with flavor. Hence, the more marbling there is in the meat, the higher the marble score and the better the quality.
Marble Score 3 and 4
Even at the lower end of the marble spectrum, Wagyu beef is far more tender and delicious than regular grocery store beef, and rates higher even than USDA prime grade steak. MS3 and MS4 Wagyu beef is marbled with light streaks of white fat. With its soft texture and mouthwatering taste, this meat is great value considering the high quality of the eating experience, and is the perfect place to start if you’re new to the world of Wagyu.
Wagyu Tenderloin Steaks, MS3
Wagyu Beef Inside Skirt Steak MS3
Marble Score 5 and 6
Now our Wagyu steaks get richer and more flavorful, with prominent fat webbing resulting in a creamier, more buttery bite than the lower marble scores. Nevertheless, you can indulge in large portions without the risk of a richness overload.
Wagyu Beef Tenderloin Steaks MS5
Wagyu Beef Tenderloin MS5 - Whole, Cut To Order
Wagyu Beef New York Strip Steak MS5 - Whole, Cut To Order
Wagyu Beef Rib Eye Steaks MS5/6
Wagyu Beef New York Strip Steaks MS5/6
Wagyu Beef New York Strip Steak MS6
Wagyu Beef Rib Eye Filet Steak MS6
Marble Score 7 and 8
Now those gorgeous rivulets of fat are so thick and juicy, your Wagyu reaches a higher culinary plain, one historically reserved for kings. Rich and succulent to the point of opulence, and so tender your knife slices through it like butter, this is the kind of beef that will change your definition of delicious. Since it’s so rich and buttery, savor it in slightly smaller portions than normal.
Wagyu Beef New York Strip Steak MS7
Wagyu Beef Rib Eye Steak MS7 - Whole, Cut To Order
Wagyu Beef Tenderloin MS7 - Whole, Cut To Order
Wagyu Beef New York Strip Steak MS8
Wagyu Beef Rib Eye Steak MS8 - Whole, Cut To Order
Marble Score 9+
Welcome. You just crossed beef heaven and now stand in whatever lies beyond it. These are the rarest and most difficult to find marble scores, found on less than 1% of Wagyu cows. With luscious, exquisitely marbled meat that will impress even the most discerning of connoisseurs, Wagyu MS9+ is serious stuff. So much so, in fact, that it should be savored in small portions, around half the size of a regular serving of steak. Purchase it for the most special of occasions, or as a gift when you want to wow someone and show them the true meaning of luxury.
Wagyu Beef Tenderloin MS9 - Whole, Cut To Order