If you’re a beef eater, there are few meals as phenomenal as well-raised, well-marbled steak. That is, until you’ve sunk your teeth into a well-raised, well-marbled, dry-aged steak from Munson’s Prime.

The Junction City restaurant, located just north of I-70, serves one of the best steaks in the US of A. All the beef comes from the family’s Angus farm/ranch in Geary County. The Munson family business is operated by Charles (Chuck) and Deanna and their children David and Laura.

Beef bloodlines go back to 1869 when Carl Munson, Chuck’s great grandfather, came to Junction City from Sweden in 1869. Cattle in Carl’s first herd included Hereford and Shorthorn.

The first Angus cattle became part of the Munson herd in 1924. That’s when Chuck’s grandfather purchased four yearling heifers from the Schuler family.

“The Schulers lived just across the Smokey Hill River from where we are today,” Chuck says. “They drove the heifers through a shallow crossing on the river called the ‘Kansas Falls’ up to my grandfather, Charles’, farm near Highway 18.”

As Chuck recalls, his dad gave him the opportunity to select a purebred, Angus heifer out of the family herd during his grade school years.

“She was called Irene, part of the Irene Family of Angus people,” Chuck says. “They’re an old family that is in the forefront among Angus breeders.”

After a four-year stint at Kansas State University, where he graduated with a degree in agricultural economics, Chuck returned home. Some 90 years after the first Angus heifers started grazing the Munson grasslands, their corn-finished prime quality beef has been recognized as some of the finest eating in the world.

Munson Premium Angus Beef walked away with top honors at the Kansas City American Royal steak competition in 2013.

Cattle on the Munson Angus Farm do not receive growth hormones or antibiotics. Standard cuts of beef do not contain shelf preservatives or color enhancers. So what is the key to winding up with such fine dining?

“It all begins with genetics,” Chuck says. “Uniform breeding lines that remain consistent from calf to calf.”

Combine that with good handling, proper care, feeding and diet and that’s the recipe for Munson’s Prime. Five generations of dedication, hard work, innovation and know-how complete this success story.

The Munsons background the Angus cattle on the nutritious tall grass of the Flint Hills during the spring and summer months. Livestock are then brought in off the pasture and fed corn from 120 to 160 days.

That brings out the marbling and quality in the meat, Chuck says. Steaks are dry-aged from 14 to 21 days after harvesting.

During dry aging, enzymes – naturally present in the meat – break down the muscle tissue, resulting in improved texture, a richer concentration of flavor and a more robust taste.

“Our steaks have a very buttery taste.We add nothing to our beef. No salt. No pepper. No nothing.”

— Deanna Munson

Her favorite steak is the ribeye because it carries a lot of fat which provides the most flavor, she says. Deanna prefers a thick, juicy ribeye grilled medium rare. Chuck remains partial to a Porterhouse or T-bone prepared rare to medium rare.

“I really appreciate a good, thick sirloin as well,” he says. “I believe it has the most robust flavor of any of the cuts. Sink your teeth into a 1 ¼ to 1 ½ inch sirloin and you know you’re eating great beef.”

Beef lovers pick their favorite cuts from a freezer located in the middle of Munson’s Prime restaurant. Each frozen steak is grilled over fire fueled by locally grown oak. Deanna believes steaks grilled directly from the freezer provide the absolute best flavor.

“By grilling steak while it’s frozen, you sear both sides over a very hot fire and seal in all the juices,” she says.

The rib-eye steak that won grand champion at the American Royal was grilled frozen.

In 2007, the farm and ranch expanded by opening Munson Premium Angus Beef, a local retail meat store. In 2011, the Munsons started selling nationwide on the internet. Munson’s Prime opened in mid-October 2014.

“This seemed like the next step in marketing our Angus cattle from conception to consumption,” Chuck says. “Our goal is to showcase the Munson cattle and family heritage. We are pleased to have such great employees and friends who buy our all natural beef.”

So, the next time you’re traveling I-70 near Junction City, stop by the restaurant and taste the difference of Munson premium Angus beef.

Just to whet your appetite, remember you select your own cut and size of beef. The menu also includes locally grown products including sweet corn, green beans and choice of baked or sweet potatoes. Dessert features homemade ice cream.

The steakhouse bar and grill is open Thursday through Sunday nights including midday on weekends. Hearty farm and ranch meals are offered for lunch that often include family recipes – all served from scratch.

They even have a drive through. No backyard barbecue is complete without steak.

It’s what’s for dinner.