Meat nerds, assemble. Evan and Tyler sit down with Dr. Phil Bass—associate professor of Meat Science at the University of Idaho, meat cutter since childhood, and all-around legend—to geek out on what actually makes beef great. Fresh off judging the American Wagyu Association’s “Best Steak in America” competition together, we dive into BMS scoring (yes, those 14s and 15s), why the USDA grade tops out too early for Wagyu, and what “quality” really means across tenderness, flavor, and juiciness.
We get into grass-finished vs. grain-finished (and why consistency matters), the truth about antibiotics and labels, how to shop smarter at the butcher counter, and why the future likely belongs to Wagyu crossbreeding. Plus: the magic of dry-aging, the umami bomb that is koji, myth-busting on Wagyu fat (hello oleic acid), and quick detours into Piedmontese, flat iron “meat jelly,” and why ribeye off the 5th rib slaps.
In this episode:
Judging ultra-marbled Wagyu & reading the Japanese BMS 1–12
USDA vs. AUS vs. JPN grading—should there be one global standard?
Grass vs. grain: flavor, texture, and reliability
Dry-aging, koji rubs, and regional mold “terroir”
Labels, antibiotics, and how to actually talk to your butcher
The next decade of Wagyu (hello, F1 crosses)
Dr. Bass’s pod: meatspad.com • Book: It’s Not a Cow (available on Amazon)
Hit play, get smarter, then go eat something worthy.