Proteins — Meat (Beef, Pork, Lamb, Game)

Category 1 of 23 · Built 2026-04-19 · Last verified 2026-04-19 · UMAMI-15 Quality contract: PROCESS.md

Red meat sourcing across three tiers. Poultry, seafood, charcuterie have their own files. Every entry cites its depth tier (A/B/C), confirmation status, direct product URLs where available, and the session date prices were verified.

BEEF

Ribeye / Strip / Tomahawk — Premium Steak Cuts

Depth: A (high usage — see perfect-sous-vide-steak, chuleton-reverse-sear; tomahawk Sunday + regular kitchen workflow)

What to know: Quality ladder cheap→ultimate: USDA Choice → USDA Prime → American Wagyu → Full-blood American Wagyu → Japanese A5. Dry-aging adds funk + tenderness (21d subtle, 45d noticeable, 60+d intense). Bone-in beats boneless for steak dinners. Wagyu past medium goes greasy — always medium-rare (confirmed from the March 15 Wagyu Sunday learnings).

🏬 TIER 1 — Easy Local (Miami)

• Primary: Whole Foods Brickell / Coral Gables — USDA Prime ribeye, occasional 21-day dry-aged. price TBD (visit to verify) — ⚪ curated
• Local same-day specialty: Meat N' Bone — meatnbone.com · USDA Prime, American Wagyu, Ibérico also — 2-hour South Florida / 48-hour US delivery. ✅ owner has ordered (MEMORY.md line 97). price TBD

🌐 TIER 2 — Excellent Online

• 🏆 Snake River Farms Tomahawk — SRF Tomahawk Steak direct · American Wagyu Gold / Black grades · 2-day ship · ✅ owner confirmed ordering (MEMORY.md line 21-22, 105) — currently has 1× in freezer. price TBD (check site per order)
• SRF Dry-Aged Tomahawk: Direct product link · ⚪ curated — same producer, the upgrade within Tier 2
• Holy Grail Steak Co — holygrailsteak.com · The broadest Japanese A5 + premium American Wagyu curation online. ⚪ curated, not ordered
• Porter Road Dry-Aged Bone-In Ribeye — direct product link · Pasture-raised, dry-aged, no antibiotics · Nashville, 2-day ship. ⚪ curated

👑 TIER 3 — Top Shelf

• Holy Grail Steak — Japanese A5 Hokkaido Ribeye — direct product link · Genuine certified A5, Hokkaido (Tokachi) origin, imported under traceable programs. The authenticated "Japan A5 direct" answer without chasing obscure importers.
• Mishima Reserve Ultra Ribeye — via LaFrieda shop 4-pack product page or direct at mishimareserve.com · Washington State full-blood American Wagyu, BMS 8-10 (above USDA Prime ceiling). ⚪ curated — the US-domestic answer that rivals A3 Japanese.
• Kobe Beef Certified import — Only ~9 official US importers; confirm via Kobe Beef Distribution Promotion Association · price TBD — email/call · not directly accessible without contact (⚠️ ask Chèvre Miami or Regalis for leads)

Cross-recipe: perfect-sous-vide-steak, chuleton-reverse-sear (confirmed in corpus ✅)

Short Ribs (Bone-In, English Cut)

Depth: A (core to short-ribs-48h SV workflow)

What to know: For 48h SV at 57°C want bone-in English-cut (3-4 in lengths, cut across the bone), NOT Korean flanken cut. Wagyu short ribs transform the dish — intramuscular fat renders into the connective tissue during SV, producing a texture closer to braised belly than braised beef.

🏬 TIER 1 — Easy Local

• Whole Foods — English-cut USDA Choice or Prime. ⚪ curated. price TBD
• Meat N' Bone — American Wagyu short ribs, Miami delivery. ✅ ordered history vendor (line 97). price TBD

🌐 TIER 2 — Excellent Online

• 🏆 Snake River Farms American Wagyu Short Ribs — search SRF /collections/beef for current product URL — the SV-ready cut. ⚪ curated (SRF used extensively but not confirmed short-rib-specific order). price TBD
• Porter Road bone-in short ribs — pasture-raised. ⚪ curated.

👑 TIER 3 — Top Shelf

• Holy Grail Japanese A5 Short Rib — available periodically. ⚠️ Not always in stock, check at holygrailsteak.com search "short rib". price TBD — email/call

Cross-recipe: short-ribs-48h ✅

Oxtail (for Rabo de Toro)

Depth: A (specific to rabo-de-toro, Spanish identity dish)

What to know: Want thick center-cut rounds (not "tail tips"). 3-4 lbs for dinner party. Heritage breed / older animal = more collagen + richer braise. Spanish authentic: "vaca vieja" (7+ year old bull).

🏬 TIER 1 — Easy Local

• Winn-Dixie / Publix — frozen oxtail, basic. ⚪ curated. price TBD
• Meat N' Bone — fresh, local delivery. ⚪ curated.

🌐 TIER 2 — Excellent Online

• Heritage Foods — Oxtail — heritagefoods.com/collections/beef · grass-fed heritage breeds · ⚪ curated. ⚠️ Note: MEMORY.md line 94+ may have referenced "heritagefoodsusa.com" — the actual verified domain is heritagefoods.com (as of 2026-04-19 check).
• DeBragga — debragga.com · premium butcher, overnight · ✅ vendor confirmed in MEMORY.md line 95 (carries Elysian Fields lamb; also beef catalog). price TBD

👑 TIER 3 — Top Shelf

• Vaca Vieja Spanish bull rabo — the authentic ingredient for traditional rabo de toro, ox/bull aged 7+ years. ⚠️ No consistent US retail channel. Path: email Chèvre Miami (local kitchen ally) or Despaña asking for "vaca vieja rabo" import window. Spanish specialty like Txogitxu sells this in Spain directly but not US-exported.

Cross-recipe: rabo-de-toro ✅

Bone Marrow

Depth: C (commodity at quality ceiling — no recipe-tier variance)

What to know: Beef femur, 3-in center-cut rounds. Canoe-cut (split) plates more dramatically. 24-48h cold-water soak pulls blood before cooking.

• 🏬 Local: Whole Foods butcher counter will canoe-cut on request.
• 🌐 Online: US Wellness Meats (grasslandbeef.com), Porter Road.
• 👑 Ultimate: dry-aged bone marrow is rare — occasional stock at Pat LaFrieda Prime.

PORK

Ibérico — Secreto, Presa, Pluma

Depth: A (the Spanish backbone — multiple recipes, confirmed frequent cook)

What to know: Quality ladder: Ibérico Cebo (grain) → Cebo de Campo (partial acorn) → Bellota (100% acorn) → Bellota 100% (pure bloodline pata negra). Presa = shoulder cap (most marbled), Secreto = hidden cut between shoulder and belly (highly prized, fatty), Pluma = feather cut off the neck (tender, lean). All eat medium-rare.

🏬 TIER 1 — Easy Local (Miami)

• 🏆 Chèvre Miami — Ibérico COVAP Presa de Bellota · free delivery <5mi · ✅ owner confirmed (MEMORY.md line 101). price TBD — call for current price.
• The Golden Hog (Key Biscayne) — 91 Harbor Dr, (305) 361-1300 · sometimes stocks secreto + presa. ✅ verified store (MEMORY.md line 110). price TBD

🌐 TIER 2 — Excellent Online

• 🏆 Meat N' Bone — Ibérico Pork Collection — collection page · secreto + presa + pluma + ribs + chops · ✅ owner-verified vendor (MEMORY.md line 97). 2hr Miami / 48hr US. prices vary — see site
• La Tienda — tienda.com · multiple premium Spanish producers, Ibérico fresh cuts section.

👑 TIER 3 — Top Shelf

• 5J (Cinco Jotas) fresh Ibérico cuts — 5J is the summit house (Sánchez Romero Carvajal, 1879). Their whole jamón is well-distributed; their fresh cuts (secreto, presa) are more intermittent in US. Available via La Tienda 5J page for ham, fresh cuts — ⚠️ availability varies, email for current window.
• Joselito Gran Reserva Ibérico — Spain's other top house. US distribution via specialty importers; less retail-direct. ⚠️ price TBD — email La Tienda or Chèvre Miami

Cross-recipe: iberico-secreto-kamado ✅

Pork Belly (Porchetta, SV, Burnt Ends)

Depth: A (multiple recipes: pimenton-porchetta, pork-belly-roast-oven)

What to know: For porchetta: skin-on bone-in 5-8 lb slab, ribcap retained. For burnt ends: 2-3 inch thick, skinless. Heritage breeds (Berkshire, Mangalitsa) = 2-3x fat layer of commodity pork. Mangalitsa ("Kobe of pork") is radically fatty.

🏬 TIER 1 — Easy Local

• Whole Foods — skinless belly standard, skin-on on request. ⚪ curated.
• Meat N' Bone — skin-on available. ✅ verified vendor.

🌐 TIER 2 — Excellent Online

• 🏆 Heritage Foods — Pork Belly — direct product page · 5 heritage breeds rotated, pasture-raised. ⚪ curated. price TBD — see product page
• Snake River Farms Kurobuta (American Berkshire) — check SRF collections/pork. ⚪ curated.

👑 TIER 3 — Top Shelf

• Mangalitsa pork belly — The Hungarian woolly-coated heritage breed, 3x the intramuscular fat of Berkshire. Verified US producers:
  • ⚪ Winkler Wooly Pigs (Sonoma County, California) — covered by Wine Country Table editorial, working farm. Online direct-buy unverified — likely farm-direct / restaurant channel.
  • ⚠️ Mosefund Farm (NJ) — referenced in older HuffPost article; current operational status TBD (older online mentions). Email farm before assuming stock.
• Ibérico Bellota pork belly — Yes, this exists. Rare US import. Path: via Chèvre Miami special request or Fermín's US distribution. price TBD

Cross-recipe: pimenton-porchetta, pork-belly-roast-oven ✅

LAMB

Lamb Leg (Bone-In, Whole or Boneless)

Depth: A (lamb-leg-sv-kamado core; ordered from Pure Bred Lamb $298 combo)

What to know: SV leg: boneless rolled tied 4-6 lb. Kamado roast: bone-in whole. Milk-fed lechal (4-6 week) = delicate mild; grass-fed mature = robust gamy.

🏬 TIER 1 — Easy Local

• Whole Foods — Australian or American leg, reliable. ⚪ curated.
• The Golden Hog — specialty when in stock. ⚪ curated.

🌐 TIER 2 — Excellent Online

• 🏆 Pure Bred Lamb / Elysian Fields — purebredlamb.com · the classical-French school's supplier · heritage Pennsylvania genetics · ✅ owner confirmed order (MEMORY.md line 94 — boneless leg + shoulder ~$298). price verified: ~$298 two-cut combo per the April 2026 order
• DeBragga — debragga.com · carries Elysian Fields, national overnight · ✅ vendor confirmed MEMORY.md line 95.
• Border Springs Farm — borderspringsfarm.com · Virginia heritage, chef-favorite · ✅ vendor confirmed line 96.
• Shepherd Song Farm — whole/half lamb, grass-fed, custom cuts · ✅ verified line 99.
• D'Artagnan — dartagnan.com heritage lamb program · ✅ confirmed line 100.

👑 TIER 3 — Top Shelf

• Ternasco de Aragón DOP — Spanish baby lamb, 70-80 day, protected-origin Aragón. ⚠️ No direct US retail — availability through La Tienda holiday pre-orders, or direct import via restaurant channels. price TBD — seasonal
• Welsh Black Mountain PDO lamb — Welsh upland grass-fed, PDO. ⚠️ rare US specialty-import.
• Sardinian milk-lamb (agnello da latte) — traditional Sardinian Easter. Direct-import only via specialty Italian distributors; no consistent US retail.

Cross-recipe: lamb-leg-sv-kamado ✅

Lamb Shoulder

Depth: B

• 🏬 Whole Foods Australian shoulder
• 🌐 🏆 Pure Bred Lamb bone-in shoulder · Shepherd Song · Border Springs
• 👑 Whole milk-fed Sardinian — as above

Lamb Shanks

Depth: C

• 🏬 Whole Foods Australian shanks — reliable, baseline
• 🌐 Shepherd Song fresh + frozen grass-fed
• 👑 No meaningful step beyond heritage-breed-from-small-farm (Pure Bred / Border Springs)

GAME

Venison

Depth: B

What to know: Axis = mildest (almost beef-like), Red = deepest (Scottish highland), Fallow = middle. Quick cook, medium-rare max.

• 🏬 Whole Foods venison racks around holidays; Meat N' Bone on request.
• 🌐 🏆 Broken Arrow Ranch — brokenarrowranch.com · Texas Hill Country wild-harvested · used by classical-French technique (confirmed via their press page). Also available nationally via Goldbelly. ⚪ curated, highly credible.
• 👑 Wild Scottish Red Deer direct-import: rare, chef-channel only. price TBD

Wild Boar

Depth: C

• 🏬 Whole Foods special order
• 🌐 🏆 Broken Arrow Ranch wild-harvested Texas boar · D'Artagnan farmed
• 👑 Italian Cinghiale seasonal specialty import · price TBD

Rabbit

Depth: B (for fideua rabbit version, classic French braises)

What to know: Whole ~3 lb dressed. Mild, lean — needs fat (lardo, pancetta, EVOO).

• 🏬 Whole Foods frozen whole reliable · Winn-Dixie Key Biscayne sometimes fresh
• 🌐 🏆 D'Artagnan — whole rabbit direct product page · consistent availability overnight · ✅ confirmed vendor MEMORY.md line 100. price TBD
• 👑 Spanish conejo ibérico (Extremadura): not US-distributed; Despaña special-request path.

Cross-Recipe Index — Verified Against Filesystem

Verified against ls /umami/workspace/recipe-template/*.json on 2026-04-19.

All 11 slugs verified against filesystem.

Vendor Confidence — MEMORY.md Provenance

Only vendors explicitly referenced in MEMORY.md with confidence markers:

Any vendor not on this list → ⚪ curated (Umami recommendation, unverified by direct contact).

Blacklist

• Garcia Brothers ❌ — the kitchen avoids (MEMORY.md)
• The Butcher Shop Wynwood ❌ — closed (MEMORY.md)

Self-Audit Checklist (PROCESS.md §7)

• Vendors web-verified or honestly flagged ⚠️/⚪
• Direct product URLs for Tier 1/2 where available (falling back to category URL or ⚠️ when needed)
• Prices marked price TBD or verified DATE — no guessed numbers
• confidence markers (🏆/✅) trace to MEMORY.md line or session evidence
• Depth tier (A/B/C) declared per entry
• Recipe slugs cross-checked against ls recipe-template/*.json
• Last-verified date in header
• No "ultimate" vendors invented without web confirmation — Yoshimatsu / Japanese Food Direct / Masami Ranch / Mac & Creek Scotland all removed from previous draft

Next category: 02-proteins-poultry.md