From mouthwatering filets to juicy ribeyes to luscious ground beef slow-simmered into Bolognese, Wagyu has become an integral part of the menu upstairs at The Cache. Not only incredibly delicious, The Cache’s Wagyu is also locally raised by Drew and Ashley Stapelman at Little Cranberry Ranch, the only purebred Wagyu ranch in Northern Colorado.
Can’t Get Any More Local
“You know, you just can’t get any closer or any more local. The footprint is as limited as possible; I deliver it directly to Chef Chris at Ginger and Baker in my truck,” said Drew. “It’s nice that there’s a place like Ginger and Baker that’s willing to support small farmers and ranchers. Finding the right people is key, and Ginger and Baker are the right people.”
The Little Cranberry Ranch Wagyu herd is pasture raised, grain finished and not treated with growth hormones, additives or antibiotics. “I think we do feel pretty good about the way that these guys live,” Drew said. “They have lots of pasture to graze on and it’s a pretty relaxed and low-stress way to live.”
The Best Beef Around
The ranch, located just north of Fort Collins, was named after Little Cranberry Island in Maine, where Ashley is from. “I told Drew we needed to find a place here in Colorado with trees, mountain views and water, or we were moving to Maine,” Asley said. “Then we found this place and it checked all the boxes, so we decided to make our own Little Cranberry.”
“We wanted to make the most of our land and show our kids the lifestyle of raising livestock and teach them the responsibilities and lessons that come along with it,” Ashley said. “So, it only made sense to raise the best beef around.”
While some ranchers will crossbreed wagyu with Angus cows and still meet the USDA’s loose regulations of just 48% or higher to be considered Wagyu, Little Cranberry can trace their herd’s bloodlines back 16 generations to when Japan still exported their Wagyu cows in the 70’s. “It was important to us to preserve those bloodlines and the quality that comes with it,” Drew said.
“The uniqueness about Wagyu is their natural tendency to produce intramuscular marbling. So, the fat itself is a little bit healthier for you, the meat is more tender, and it melts at a lower temperature to create that distinctive buttery flavor.” – Drew Stapelman
Unlike Any Other Beef
The Cache features a Little Cranberry Ranch Wagyu special every weekend. “We do a New York Strip and a two-pound bone-in ribeye that are super popular,” said Chef Chris Perrine, Ginger and Baker’s Executive Chef. “We use the tenderloin for our tartare and the Wagyu dinosaur ribs are a real showstopper, they’re braised for six hours and smoked on hickory for eight hours.”
“Little Cranberry Ranch Wagyu is just that much better. It’s extremely flavorful and tender, with an intense beef flavor that you just don’t get with anything else,” Chris said. “And the marbling is amazing.”
That’s why we use every part of the cow,” Chris continued. “We use bones for stock, for making beef barley soup in the winter, we grind the chuck for The Cache’s Bolognese and the meatloaf and smash burger in the Café. The brisket gets made into housemade pastrami and corned beef.”
“It’s become a real partnership, working with Drew and Ashley has been great,” Chris said. “Being able to feature their Wagyu is an essential part of The Cache’s dedication to making the most of the outstanding ingredients here in Northern Colorado.”
