Wagyu Beef Explodes in Popularity

Trivia & Tidbits

Wagyu beef, commonly referred to as 'Kobe Beef' is exploding in popularity in the United States. The word Wagyu means "Japanese cattle." The Japanese delicacy derives from the distinctively black Wagyu cattle that are treated more like kings than a common animal.

There's many infamous stories regarding the treatment of Wagyu beef cattle raised in the Kobe region of Japan (Wagyu beef is named after the region of Japan it's bred in. Other breeds include Mishima, Ōmi beef and Sanda.) The Wagyu are raised on beer fed diets, a trick that the Japanese contribute to the Wagyu beef's tender, juicy cuts of meat, and given daily massages. What makes Wagyu beef unique is in the marbling. Beef gets most of its flavor from the marbling, the traces of fat found in red meat. The richer and higher concentration of the marbling, the richer the flavor of the beef.

Wagyu beef is also far healthier than other pedestrian cuts of meat from other breeds. The fat in Wagyu beef contains considerably less amounts saturated fat and higher quantities of mono-unsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, the fat found in Wagyu marbling is softer, creating not only a richer taste, but the tenderest cut of beef your money can buy. The lower ratio between saturated fats and mono unsaturated fats along with the higher concentrations of Omega-3 fatty acids makes Wagyu beef ideal for low cholesterol diets.

The black cattle are raised primarily in Japan with smatterings of breeding in Australia in the United States. American Kobe Beef however, is really a crossbreed between Angus and Wagyu, giving the cut the marbling distinctions of the Wagyu with the more traditionally American red meat flavor. Wagyu beef is widely considered the highest quality of beef available and can come at a very steep price. However, the quality of the beef along with the unique health benefits rare to find in most cuts of red meat, makes Wagyu beef highly worth the price.

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