Know Your Meat

The Meat Wagon · Fact Sheet

Know Your Meat.

Where it comes from, how it was raised, and how to cook it right. No fluff, no fine print.

American Raised USDA-Certified Mostly Never Frozen Family Supply Chain

The Meat Wagon is a family business. All of our meat is American born and raised and processed in USDA-certified facilities, and our supply side is run by family through Modesto Food Distributors, a USDA-certified facility in Hayward, California. We're a mobile meat market, not a cut-to-order butcher counter: everything comes to the truck already portioned and packed, at butcher-shop quality, and we restock several times a week.

01

Beef

Choice · Prime · Grass-fed
Where it's fromIBP, Cargill, Nebraska Beef, Swift & Western Reserve
Grass-fedDayton Family Ranch, Sonoma County
GradesUSDA Choice steaks · USDA Prime tri-tip
Fresh or frozenFresh, never frozen (grass-fed is frozen, truck only)

Our beef comes from established American packers, including IBP, Cargill, Nebraska Beef, Swift and Western Reserve, all operating under USDA inspection. Our grass-fed beef comes from Dayton Family Ranch in Sonoma County.

Prime vs. Choice

The USDA grades beef mostly on marbling, the fine streaks of fat inside the muscle that melt as it cooks and add flavor and tenderness.

USDA PrimeThe top grade, with the most marbling. Our tri-tip roasts are Prime.
USDA ChoiceThe next grade down, and what most good steakhouses serve. Our steaks are Choice.

Grass-fed beef

Raised on grass at Dayton Family Ranch in Sonoma County. Usually leaner, with a more pronounced "beefy" flavor. It cooks a little faster than grain-finished beef, so pull it off the heat a touch earlier. Sold frozen, at the truck only.

Ground beef: 90/10 vs. 80/20

90/10 · RegularLean. Great for tacos, sauces, and anything you'd otherwise drain.
80/20 · Grass-fedJuicier. The classic choice for burgers.

The numbers are the lean-to-fat ratio.

Hormones & antibiotics: the honest answer

HormonesAll beef naturally contains hormones. Cattle may also have received FDA-approved hormone implants during raising. These implants require no waiting period before processing when used as approved, and the FDA considers the resulting meat safe to eat. Our conventional beef is not sold as "no hormones added."
AntibioticsCattle may have been treated with antibiotics when sick. Any required withdrawal period must be completed before processing, and residues must fall within FDA safety limits. That doesn't mean the animal never received antibiotics or that residue is always zero. It means it's within federal safety limits.

Our beef cuts

Ribeye

Rich, heavily marbled, big flavor.

Hot grill or cast-iron sear
NY Strip

Firm bite, beefy, a little leaner than ribeye.

Grill or pan sear
Filet Mignon

The most tender cut; mild and lean.

Sear, then finish in the oven
Top Sirloin

Lean, flavorful, great value.

Grill; slice against the grain
Porterhouse

A strip and a filet on one bone.

Grill; built for sharing
Tomahawk

A thick, bone-in ribeye with a long rib bone.

Reverse sear: low oven, then hard sear
Prime Tri-Tip

A California classic; tender, beefy roast.

Grill or smoke to medium-rare, slice thin
Chuck Roast

Marbled shoulder that turns fall-apart tender.

Braise, pot roast, slow cooker
Korean Short Ribs

Thin, cross-cut (flanken) bone-in ribs.

Marinate, grill fast and hot
Boneless Short Ribs

Deeply marbled and rich.

Braise low and slow, or slice and grill
Oxtail

Bony, collagen-rich, deep flavor.

Long braise or stew
Stew & Fajitas

Pre-cut for weeknight cooking.

Stew low and slow; fajitas hot and fast

Steak doneness

Rare125°F
Med-Rare130–135°F
Medium140–145°F
Med-Well150°F
Well160°F

Pull it 3–5°F early; it keeps climbing while it rests.

USDA min · Steaks & roasts 145°F + 3-min restGround beef 160°F
02

Chicken

Mary's · Free-range
Where it's fromMary's
RaisingFree-range, no antibiotics
Fresh or frozenFresh, never frozen
HormonesNone (banned in poultry by federal law)

Our chicken is from Mary's: free-range and raised without antibiotics. Most cuts are also available in a Halal-certified version, and the chicken in our online boxes is Mary's.

No hormones. No antibiotics.Federal regulations prohibit hormones in raising poultry, and our Mary's chicken is also raised without antibiotics.

Our chicken cuts

Boneless Breast

Lean and versatile. Don't overcook it.

Grill, pan sear or bake
Thigh Meat

Juicier and more forgiving than breast.

Grill, braise or stir-fry
Wings

Game-day staple.

Bake or air-fry hot, or smoke
Fajitas

Pre-cut and ready to go.

Sear hot and fast
Ground Chicken

Light and lean.

Meatballs, lettuce wraps, burgers
USDA min · All chicken & ground turkey 165°F
03

Pork

Berkshire · Pasture-raised
BreedBerkshire (heritage)
RaisingPasture-raised, no antibiotics
Fresh or frozenFresh, never frozen
HormonesNone (banned in pork by federal law)

Why Berkshire

Berkshire is a heritage breed known for darker, well-marbled, juicy pork with more flavor than standard commodity pork. Ours is pasture-raised and raised without antibiotics.

No hormones. No antibiotics.Federal regulations prohibit hormones in raising hogs, and our Berkshire pork is also raised without antibiotics.

Our pork cuts

Bone-in Chops

Juicy, with a little pink at 145°F.

Sear, then finish to 145°F
Baby Back Ribs

Tender, meaty pork ribs.

Smoke or bake low, finish on the grill
Bacon

Thick, rich Berkshire bacon.

400°F oven on a rack
Ground Pork

Full-flavored and versatile.

Dumplings, meatballs, patties
USDA min · Chops & ribs 145°F + 3-min restGround pork 160°F
04

Lamb

Halal-certified
CertificationHalal-certified
Fresh or frozenFrozen
Where to buyTruck only

All of our lamb is Halal-certified and sold frozen at the truck. Ask us if you'd like the certification details.

Our lamb cuts

Rack of Lamb

The showstopper.

Sear, roast to medium-rare
Lamb Chops

Quick-cooking and tender.

Hot grill, a few minutes per side
Shanks

Rich and gelatinous.

Braise until falling off the bone
Stew Meat

Pre-cut for slow cooking.

Stews, curries, tagines
Ground Lamb

Bold and savory.

Kofta, burgers, meatballs
USDA min · Chops & racks 145°F + 3-min restGround lamb 160°F
05

Seafood

Lobster · Shrimp
Maine Lobster Tails

Cold-water Maine lobster.

Broil, grill or butter-poach until opaque
16/20 RPD Shrimp

Raw, peeled and deveined; 16–20 shrimp per pound, a large size.

Grill, sauté or skewer until pink
USDA min · Seafood 145°F or opaque and firm
06

Storage & Handling

Get it coldRefrigerate at 40°F or below as soon as you get home. A cooler bag helps if you're running errands.
3–5 daysSteaks, chops and roasts: cook or freeze within this window.
1–2 daysGround meat, chicken and seafood: cook or freeze within this window.
FreezingOriginal package or a freezer bag with the air pressed out. Safe indefinitely at 0°F; best within a few months.
ThawingIn the fridge overnight, or sealed under cold water (change it every 30 min). Never on the counter.

Weights listed on our products are averages; each piece varies slightly.

07

Common Questions

Do you cut meat to order on the truck?

No, we're a mobile meat market. Everything arrives already cut, portioned and packed, so you can grab what you want and go.

Is your beef hormone-free or antibiotic-free?

Our conventional beef isn't labeled hormone-free or antibiotic-free. It comes from USDA-inspected American packers that follow FDA rules on hormone use, antibiotic withdrawal periods, and residue limits. Our chicken and pork are raised without antibiotics, and federal law bans hormones in both.

Is the meat in the online boxes the same as on the truck?

Yes, same suppliers. The online boxes are all fresh items; our frozen grass-fed beef and lamb are available at the truck only.

Do you carry Halal meat?

Yes. All of our lamb is Halal-certified, and most chicken cuts come in a Halal version.

How can I get my meat?

Visit the truck (see Where's the Wagon?), pick up an online order for free at the San Mateo truck, choose free local delivery, or have it shipped by UPS within California.

Still have a question?

Ask us at the truck or email danny@themeatwagon.net.

Fresh. Local. Real. That's how we roll.

— The Meat Wagon