A Cut of Prime Angus Will Cost You Plenty

Fayetteville’s most storied steak restaurant is Herman’s Ribhouse and getting a high quality cut of beef from Herman’s is never the exception, rather a rule it’s lived by for almost four decades.

Benny Spears, proprietor of Herman’s, said his restaurant buys anywhere from four to six cases of beef a week and 12 tenders at seven pounds each. Included among the companies Spears buys his meat from is Sysco Farms, which sells prime Angus through subsidiary Buckhead Beef. (See related cover story.)

“If you’re talking prime meat, a black Angus is the best USDA grade you can buy, I believe,” Spears said. “Buying Angus is like buying a Cadillac, you automatically assume you’re getting the best. When buying Angus, you’re assured of a premium cut of beef.”

Nick Wright, food service manager at Herman’s, said he can easily tell the difference when looking at a piece of prime Angus beef.

“You look at the meat fat and you see marbling all the way through it,” Wright said. “The more marbling the more flavor. And Angus has more marbling. [Registered Angus farmers] take care of their beef.”

Wright, who has been with Herman’s for four years, said only about 10 people every six months come into the restaurant specifically asking for Angus beef.

“If I’m gonna eat a steak, I would like to eat prime Angus,” Wright said. “But it’s expensive. Not everyone can afford it. I like a nice fat steak and prime Angus is gonna be at least $11 a pound. Most people won’t know the difference when they get regular prime from other companies that’s between $9 and $10 [a pound]. And it’s just as good to them. But, it’s not Angus.”