Every once in a while, we step away from cigars — just for a moment — to explore the finer sides of life. From food and spirits to travel, craftsmanship, and culture, Weekend Wonder is where we slow down, learn something new, and still keep that Cigar Press flavor.

When it comes to cigars, we can argue all day about “mold vs. plume”—and nobody ever wins that fight except the guy selling humidor wipes. The truth is, cigar smokers will debate anything if you give us enough time and ash.

So, if we’re willing to go ten rounds over a little white fuzz, why wouldn’t we tackle the next great divide: steak and cigars?

After all, if cigars are about aroma, ritual, and savoring the moment, nothing pairs better—or sparks more arguments—than a perfectly grilled steak alongside your favorite smoke.

We recently met Justin Brunson, the owner of Brunson Meats, at the Rocky Mountain Cigar Fest.

His booth was located next to Steve Saka, and he was standing in his booth with some cuts of meat and an air fryer. Needless to say…I was intrigued.

Justin knows his way around both fire and flavor. So, we asked him a few questions…

CP: You grew up on an Iowa farm before making your mark in Denver kitchens—how did those two worlds shape your approach to meat and aging?

JP: Growing up in the Midwest, surrounded by farmers and food producers, really shaped the way I look at food. It gave me a deep respect for where food comes from, which has always set me apart from other chefs and meat producers. As a chef, I’ve always prided myself on working as close to the source as possible. When I opened Old Major in Denver, we sourced whole animals directly from local farmers and bought as much local produce as we could. Farmers were literally walking through our back door every day with deliveries. It felt incredible—not just because we were serving the best products possible, but also because we were putting more money directly into farmers’ pockets.

That same philosophy carries into the meat business today. For example, we source pork from Seaboard Farms for our dry-cured bacon, which has operations right here in Colorado, and I work with a local Denver producer to mix and blend all our spice cures. It’s not the cheapest way to source ingredients, but I know I’m getting fresh, consistent, and high-quality ingredients for our spice cures. When it comes to beef, I believe the best in the country comes from the Corn Belt—places like Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The rich black soil grows incredible feed, the cold winters build hardier animals, and hardier animals simply make tastier beef. These days we focus mainly on Black and Red Angus from that region, and the genetics are absolutely phenomenal.

CP: For someone who’s only had grocery-store beef, what makes dry-aged steak so different, and why is the wait worth it?

JP: It’s tough to compare grocery-store beef to what we do—it’s apples to oranges. A lot of grocery-store beef is mass-produced and, honestly, much of it doesn’t even come from the U.S. Thanks to labeling loopholes, a cow raised and harvested overseas can be cut into steaks here and suddenly be labeled “Product of the USA.” That’s not what we’re about.

We hand-select our producers and only use USDA Prime beef—the top 7% of beef raised in America. From there, we put it through our proprietary Noble Mold aging process. That process tenderizes the beef, intensifies the flavor, and adds layers of richness—think brown butter, Parmesan rind, and popcorn.

To put it another way, eating our beef compared to grocery-store beef is like comparing a fine hand-rolled cigar to a gas station Swisher Sweet. Swisher Sweets certainly have their place, but they’re not even in the same league as small-batch craft cigars that are rolled with intention.

CP: What the heck is NobleMold when aging meats, and how did you end up inviting mold to the steak party?

JP: Before I got into dry-aging beef, I made a lot of salami—and anyone who’s eaten real salami knows the mold is what gives it that incredible flavor. That experience got me thinking: what if I could harness the right molds for fresh beef?

It took me about eight years of trial and error, but eventually I dialed in specific food-grade mold strains that create the flavor profile I love. These molds are 100% safe, and they work alongside the natural dry-aging process. Traditional dry-aging dehydrates the beef, concentrating flavor, while enzymes break down muscle fibers to create tenderness. Our Noble Mold adds a whole other dimension—flavors of brown butter, popcorn, Parmesan rind, and hazelnuts.

That’s what sets us apart. While a lot of aged beef on the market ends up tasting like blue cheese, ours has this nutty, savory, almost popcorn-like flavor that people can’t forget.

CP: You’ve compared your aged beef to popcorn and brown butter—how would you describe the taste to someone trying it for the first time?

JP: I’d start by telling them to smell the raw steak—it’s unlike anything else. It has this sweet, nutty aroma that’s worlds apart from standard beef. Then I’d say: season it generously with salt (Maldon salt is my go to), and cook it in a cast-iron skillet. Personally, I prefer a skillet over a grill because smoke can mask some of the subtler flavors of the aging.

Cook it to your liking, let it rest a good eight to ten minutes, then slice in. The first bite is where the magic happens—you’ll get the familiar beefy flavor you know, but layered with these deep, complex notes of popcorn, brown butter, Parmesan, and hazelnuts. All of that comes purely from the dry-aging process.

CP: You talk about slow food, tradition, and craftsmanship—what’s the philosophy that guides everything you produce?

JP: For me, it starts with partnerships. The people you choose to work with matter. We primarily work with American-owned companies and farmers who share our values—people who care about animal husbandry, land stewardship, and doing things the right way.

There’s a misconception out there that farmers don’t care for their animals, but the reality is the opposite. Animals are part of a farmer’s livelihood and daily life. A stressed animal doesn’t thrive, and farmers know that. When you’ve raised an animal for two years, you build a relationship with it. It’s part of the cycle of farm life—something I learned firsthand growing up.

My philosophy is simple: partner with the best people raising the best animals, so we can create the best dry-aged beef in the world.

CP: Which takes more patience: a hundred days of aging beef or a full day on the river fly-fishing?

JP: That’s easy—fly-fishing. I love eating dry-aged beef, but fly-fishing is my true passion. If I could be on the river every day, I would. And while aging beef requires patience, there’s nothing like standing in the water, waiting for that perfect cast. I’d take catching ten big, beautiful trout over one steak any day.

CP: If you could only pick one Brunson Meats cut to convert a first-timer into a lifelong dry-aged fan, which would it be and why?

JP: I’m a ribeye guy at heart, but if I had to pick one cut to win someone over, it would be a strip steak—either a 16-ounce boneless New York strip or a 20-ounce bone-in Kansas City strip. Strips have the perfect balance of tenderness and flavor for most people. Sometimes our beef is so beautifully marbled it looks like Wagyu, but it’s not—it’s all Black and Red Angus. Add our Noble Mold aging process on top of that, and you get something truly world-class.