Texas Roadhouse is famous for their mouthwatering steaks and hearty portions. As a steak lover myself I’m always curious to know where restaurants source their beef from. After all the quality of the meat makes a huge difference in the taste!
So where does Texas Roadhouse get their beef from? Keep reading to find out!
For those who haven’t heard of them before, Texas Roadhouse is an American casual dining restaurant chain. They specialize in steaks, ribs, chicken, and sides. With over 610 locations across 49 states and several countries, they are one of the most popular steakhouse chains in the US.
Texas Roadhouse first opened in 1993 in Clarksville, Indiana by founder Kent Taylor. Their menu focused on hand-cut steaks fall-off-the-bone ribs, made-from-scratch sides and fresh-baked bread.
Over the years, Texas Roadhouse has stuck to its roots while expanding across the country. They are known for their legendary steaks, affordable prices, and lively atmosphere. When you dine at Texas Roadhouse, you’ll often be serenaded by live music playing in the restaurant.
Why Is Texas Roadhouse Steak So Tasty?
There are a few secrets that make Texas Roadhouse steaks super delicious:
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They use choice cuts of meat. Texas Roadhouse only uses choice grade beef for their steaks. This means the meat has excellent marbling, ensuring maximum tenderness and flavor. Lower quality grades would be too tough and lean.
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The beef is hand-cut daily. Steaks are hand-cut every morning at each restaurant location. This ensures freshness and allows them to cut steaks to the proper thickness. Pre-cut steaks often dry out during shipping and storage.
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Aging matters. Texas Roadhouse ages their steaks for at least 21 days. Dry aging allows naturally occurring enzymes to break down tough muscle fibers, making the meat more tender.
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They don’t skimp on portions. A Texas Roadhouse sirloin is a hearty 10-14 ounces. You get a satisfying portion compared to other restaurants.
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The steaks are seared to perfection. Texas Roadhouse uses high heat and a sizzling grill to get a perfect sear. This adds tons of flavor!
Where Does Texas Roadhouse Source Their Beef?
So where does all this delicious steak come from?
Texas Roadhouse gets their beef from a few different places:
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Creekstone Farms: This is one of their main suppliers, providing Black Angus beef. Creekstone cattle are pasture-raised and hormone-free. Their beef is hand-selected to meet Texas Roadhouse’s strict standards.
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Nolan Ryan Beef: This premium Angus beef company supplies steaks to Texas Roadhouse restaurants in Texas. It’s named after famous baseball player Nolan Ryan. Their cattle are humanely raised in a stress-free environment.
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Local ranchers: Texas Roadhouse also sources some beef from local ranchers near their restaurants. For example, restaurants in Texas often partner with small, family-run ranches in the state. This allows them to feature truly local beef.
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Meat processors: In addition to ranchers, Texas Roadhouse works with major meat processing companies like Tyson Foods, Cargill, and National Beef. These companies harvest cattle and process the carcasses into primal cuts for the restaurants.
How Texas Roadhouse Ensures Quality
Texas Roadhouse takes a number of steps to make sure their beef meets standards:
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Vetting ranches: Before partnering with a ranch, Texas Roadhouse reps visit to inspect the conditions and cattle quality. This ensures humane practices.
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Third-party audits: Meat processing plants undergo third-party audits for food safety, cleanliness, and handling procedures.
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USDA grading: All of the beef destined for Texas Roadhouse is graded Choice or higher by the USDA. Dry-aged steaks are hand-selected for quality.
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In-house inspectors: Once the beef is delivered to restaurants, it undergoes another inspection and trim before being hand-cut by expert meat cutters on site.
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Consistent training: All meat cutters must go through extensive in-house training on proper cutting techniques and steak preparation. This keeps quality consistent across locations.
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On-site aging: As mentioned earlier, each restaurant ages steaks in climate-controlled coolers for at least 21 days prior to serving them. This tenderizes the meat and develops flavor.
Is Texas Roadhouse Beef Antibiotic-Free?
With concerns over antibiotics in beef these days, some customers wonder if Texas Roadhouse’s beef is antibiotic-free.
While they don’t advertise it as such, Texas Roadhouse has said their suppliers use antibiotics responsibly and only when medically necessary. The cattle are hormone-free.
Creekstone Farms, one of their major suppliers, says their cattle are raised without the routine use of antibiotics. Nolan Ryan Beef is also hormone and antibiotic-free.
So while Texas Roadhouse doesn’t promote antibiotic-free beef, responsible use is encouraged throughout their supply chain. Of course, it’s always smart to ask your local restaurant for their latest antibiotic policies if it is a concern.
Why Texas Roadhouse Doesn’t Advertise “Certified Angus Beef”
If you’ve ever noticed, Texas Roadhouse doesn’t tout their steaks as “Certified Angus Beef” or “Prime.” So why is that?
It mainly comes down to flexibility. Certifications like Certified Angus Beef (CAB) have very strict standards that restaurants must adhere to.
Texas Roadhouse prefers not to be locked into buying only certified cattle. Their in-house standards are already very high, so certifications aren’t necessary. Staying flexible on sourcing gives them better consistency and pricing.
As for Prime grade beef, it makes up less than 2% of all graded beef in the US. Due to low supply, Prime beef costs significantly more. Texas Roadhouse chooses to stick with the high-quality Choice grade for a better value.
At the end of the day, they focus on taste and texture over labels. Diners clearly agree – Texas Roadhouse remains one of the most popular casual steakhouse chains around!
Spotlight on Texas Roadhouse Butcher Shop
For insight into Texas Roadhouse’s meat program, we can look at their butcher shop concept.
In recent years, Texas Roadhouse opened a small number of butcher shops next to existing restaurants. These allow customers to purchase high-quality raw steaks, seafood, chicken, and more to cook at home.
The butcher shops receive whole primal cuts of beef from Texas Roadhouse’s suppliers. Then the on-site butchers meticulously trim and cut the meat to order.
This shows how seriously Texas Roadhouse takes meat quality. They wanted to offer patrons the same premier cuts served in their restaurants to enjoy in their home kitchens.
Learning From Texas Roadhouse’s Beef Sourcing
There are some great takeaways from looking at where Texas Roadhouse sources their beef:
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Putting in the effort to find high-quality suppliers really pays off. This commitment to sourcing is a big factor in Texas Roadhouse’s success.
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Allowing some flexibility in sourcing helps with consistency and costs. Rigid certification programs aren’t always necessary.
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In-house standards and protocols matter just as much as third-party inspections. Texas Roadhouse controls quality at multiple points.
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Dry aging beef for at least 21 days makes a huge difference in tenderness and flavor. Many restaurants take shortcuts here.
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Food safety and responsible antibiotic use should be top priorities for any restaurant. Texas Roadhouse emphasizes this with their suppliers.
At the end of the day, Texas Roadhouse has found an approach to sourcing beef that keeps customers happy while also keeping menus affordable. Their focus on quality has allowed them to rapidly expand without sacrificing the steak experience.
Where Should You Get Steak Instead?
While we love Texas Roadhouse, it isn’t the only place to get amazing steaks. Here are a few alternatives to consider:
Local Steakhouses
Seek out acclaimed steakhouses in your area. Many proudly source from local cattle farms and ranches. You’ll get fantastic quality and support local businesses.
Costco
Surprisingly, Costco receives high marks for their steak selection. They sell Choice and Prime grade beef at competitive prices. You can also find organic and grass-fed options.
Butcher Shops
Local butcher shops offer superb cuts of meat and custom aging. Chat with the butcher to find out where their beef is sourced from. Going straight to the source means prime quality!
Online Steakhouses
Online companies like Porter Road, Crowd Cow, and Snake River Farms ship fresh steaks from small farms right to your door. The beef is carefully handled and aged for tenderness.
Direct from Ranches
If you live near cattle ranches, consider purchasing quarters or halves of beef directly from them. You’ll get amazing steaks at wholesale prices!
The Bottom Line
Hopefully this article gave you some behind-the-scenes insight into where Texas Roadhouse sources their famously delicious steaks. Their commitment to hand-picked quality beef clearly shines through from ranch to restaurant.
Personally, I think their effort to seek out the best beef really pays off in the quality of their steaks. Texas Roadhouse will keep my steak cravings satisfied! But it’s also nice to have other options like local steakhouses and butcher shops to explore.
What To Know Before Eating Texas Roadhouse Steak Again
FAQ
What grade of beef does Texas Roadhouse use?
Does Texas Roadhouse use real meat?
Does Texas Roadhouse use lab meat?
Does Texas Roadhouse use frozen steaks?
Is Texas Roadhouse a good place to eat steak?
When a craving for steak hits, it can be tough to satisfy without dropping a decent amount of cash — unless you know where to go. Texas Roadhouse is beloved for its laid-back atmosphere, huge portions, and low prices. Plus, they serve high-quality steak in every cut you could imagine. They’re not just about the beef though.
Does Texas Roadhouse have a butcher?
Via their own fact sheet, each Texas Roadhouse location has its own in-house butcher who is responsible for hand-cutting every piece of meat that is served. They even have a giant freezer to keep their meats at a perfectly preserved 34 degrees F. You can also choose your cut of steak at every location, just as you would at your local butcher.
Does Texas Roadhouse take their meat seriously?
Texas Roadhouse claims that they take their meat seriously, having served USDA Choice steaks served at their restaurants since first opening in 1993. While this may sound like your average PR firm boasting, Texas Roadhouse seems to have taken a few unique initiatives to back up these usually tried-and-true claims.
Does Texas Roadhouse have a meat cutter?
There are several versions of the painting, which honors the Native American culture. Each Texas Roadhouse restaurant employs a butcher and a baker. The butchers, or meat cutters, hand cut each and every steak that we serve. Our meat cutters work in 34-degree coolers and cut an average of $1 million of meat a year per store.