All connoisseurs of quality meat have heard about the excellent Japanese Wagyu variety. This is the name of a variety of marbled beef, which differs from other meat in its tenderness, taste, and beneficial qualities. The name of the variety translates as “Japanese cow”. Although in European countries and America Wagyu steak is associated mainly with Kobe, in fact the word refers to several meat breeds that are characterized by special marbling. Expensive meat comes from black, brown, hornless and shorthorn cows.
Shorthorn
What is wagyu
The Japanese word wagyu is a collective term that includes several meat breeds that are naturally prone to marbling. The product contains unsaturated fats, therefore it is healthy for humans, of high quality, and expensive. Wagyu was bred in Japan, so this beef is an authentic invention of the Land of the Rising Sun. As luxurious meat became popular, Wagyu breeding began in other countries - farms keep purebred individuals and cows obtained by crossing Wagyu with other meat products.
Wagyu meat contains soft fat, enriched with omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. It contains less cholesterol than other varieties of the product. Marbled beef attracts with its delicate texture and aroma.
Wagyu
Origin of the term
Wagyu translates to “Japanese cow,” but not all beef originating from the Land of the Rising Sun belongs to this category. In 2007, guidelines were published regulating which marbled beef can be classified in this category. In Japan, at the state level, only meat obtained from 4 meat breeds and hybrids registered in a special form is classified as wagyu. A tracking system is used to confirm the origin of the product from Japan.
Recipe and life hacks
Cooking Japanese marbled beef
Before you start cooking, it is important to properly prepare the beef. To do this, remove it from the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature. In this case, the meat will cook not only faster, but also much more evenly.
Once the Wagyu steaks have reached room temperature, they need to be seasoned. To do this, use standard spices - salt and pepper, applying them on both sides, according to your taste.
Authentic Japanese steaks are always very thin, which allows them to retain their juiciness and marbling. Therefore, the best cooking method is frying in a pan.
Using a grill is also acceptable, but then the meat may overcook and become tough. While in a frying pan it is much easier to control the frying process.
Recommended degrees of doneness for Japanese marbled meat are rare and medium.
If Wagyu beef is prepared this way, you will be able to fully enjoy the taste and juiciness of the cut.
At the same time, you should not fry the meat longer or more, because in this case the product will be hopelessly spoiled.
A little history
The world community has appreciated steaks from Japanese beef since 1976, when the meat first came to the United States. The standard meat bred in Japan has become a challenge to the climate and difficult conditions for livestock farming. In addition, for many centuries the Japanese did not eat cow meat at all. And yet, it was in the Land of the Rising Sun, in the Kobe province, that breeders created a breed that produces a product with high marbling. The price of expensive meat is completely justified: purebred bulls live a luxurious life, eat the best food, regularly receive massages and listen to the best music.
In the past, oxen were used only as draft power in rice plantations, and meat was not considered a product. One of the military leaders made an extraordinary decision: to include it in the soldiers’ diet, believing that it would strengthen the soldiers. The result of the military campaign confirmed the assumption. From that moment on, the product became an obligatory part of the military diet. The soldiers who appreciated the meat returned home, bringing with them innovations. At first, ordinary people reacted negatively to this, but the intensive development of the country and external influence created the conditions for the spread of culinary trends.
Gradually, religious dogmas weakened, and livestock breeders began selecting meat breeds. Flavorful, delicious marbled beef steaks appeared in the 1830s. After more than a century, a register of beef recognized as the highest quality in the world has been compiled.
Japanese cows
Quality Standards
Only meat from Hyogo Prefecture can receive the honor of being called Kobe. The famous Japanese meat is produced strictly from Tajima bulls. The bull must be born in Hyogo Prefecture. Further feeding is allowed only within the same territory. The slaughter of the bull is also carried out in slaughterhouses in Hyogo Prefecture. The entire process is so regulated that when beef is sold to a store or restaurant, it is assigned a 10-digit identification number indicating the authenticity of the steer.
Technology
Wagyu is the general name for several breeds that produce tasty, healthy meat. Their cultivation in the Land of the Rising Sun has been brought to perfection, and technology for keeping and feeding animals has been developed. Newborn calves feed on their mother's milk and graze in green meadows without the control of their owners. Young cows gain strength and grow in their natural environment. As animals grow older, they increasingly receive selected grain, but their ability to move is limited. Bulls gain mass; fat layers are evenly distributed throughout the body. Animal husbandry technology differs from others in that animals receive massage with brushes - this improves blood flow. During the procedures, classical music is turned on. Beer and sake are added to the animals' diet. Due to such nutrition and pleasant procedures, the bulls do not experience stress, feel good, which means their meat will have high taste.
Most marbled beef is produced in Kobe (sometimes misspelled Koba). The amount of meat produced per year is strictly limited by possibilities: the country is mountainous, there is little space for pastures, and breeding large herds is impossible. Wagyu are bred in herds of up to 100 animals. A small production volume is one of the factors in maintaining quality and high prices.
Where to try
Kobe is an elite type of meat and you cannot buy such meat in a store. In Japan, the cost of one kilogram of Kobe starts at about $150. If you do decide to try Kobe, choose places that offer Australian-produced meat, as it is closest to the original. It is better to find out the pedigree of the meat in advance, and not after the bill arrives. Gourmets who set out to try the authentic Kobe will have to include tickets to Japan in their tasting budget.
Cows
The whole world knows Wagyu beef, which comes from 4 breeds: black, brown, hornless and shorthorn. Each breed includes several subspecies characteristic of a specific region. Meat is often named after its region of origin. In total, just under 3 million heads are raised in Japan, of which approximately 1.7 million are special breeds. 96% of the livestock is formed by the black Japanese breed; breeders choose the Shorthorn less often than others.
Japanese black
The breed is the result of crossing an original Japanese cow with a Devon, Brown Swiss, Shorthorn, Ayrshire, and Simmental breed. The subspecies grown on Kagoshima contains traces of the Holstein breed. About 90-96% of all wagyu is obtained from the black breed, which is characterized by a rich taste, juiciness, tenderness, and marbling.
Japanese brown
Cows of this variety are light brown, reddish in color. They were obtained by mixing aboriginal animals with Korean, Simmental, and Devonian animals. The most famous subspecies are Kumamoto (with a strong influence of the Simmental breed), Kosi (with a large share of Korean). Brown is inferior to black in frequency of occurrence, but surpasses other species. It is tasty, moderately marbled, light, and recommended for a healthy diet due to its low fat content.
Japanese Shorthorn
The breed originated in Tohoku as a result of crossbreeding of aborigines descended from nambu, the pack animals of the Edo period. When breeding meat varieties, individuals of Ayrshires, Devons, meat and dairy Shorthorns were used. The breed is found only in Japan, mainly in Hokkaido and Honshu. Individuals are dark red, sometimes red-white or roan. Shorthorn meat is rich, tasty, and lean.
Japanese hornless
Animals of this breed are the best of the Wagyu category. They were obtained in Yamaguchi as the result of crossing Aboriginal and Aberdeen Angus, Japanese black bulls. Individuals are relatively small and produce lean meat with a high level of amino acids.
Japanese black
Meat classification and evaluation criteria
Japan produces 164 thousand tons of wagyu per year. The criteria for category membership are determined by the Meat Grading Association. When evaluating, they check how much meat is produced and what quality the product is.
When analyzing volume, category A includes meat for which the proportion of pure pulp exceeds the average; B – if the indicator is at an average level; C – if it is lower.
When assessing quality, marbling, color, elasticity, and fat content of the pulp are analyzed. The level of marbling is key in determining quality.
Marble beef
Popular brands
The high level of the brand is one of the factors that attracts the buyer. There are currently about 300 brands. The most famous:
- Kobe;
- Matsuzaka;
- Omi;
- Yonezawa;
- Sendai.
Other Kobe
Over time, America and Australia began to master the technology of raising Wagyu bulls. The American version of Kobe was born as a result of crossing Tajima bulls with Angus. In Australia, both purebred and crossed Wagyu are bred, but local farmers adhere to their own technologies for cultivation. American Wagyu is labeled American Style Kobe Beef, Australian Wagyu is referred to as Australian Wagyu. But all the necessary notes are often strictly observed only in the country where the meat was produced. In all other cases, when it appears on a store window or on a restaurant menu, as a rule, the name of the meat remains only with the well-known Wagyu or Kobe.
Fattening
To obtain high-quality Wagyu meat, the bull must be fattened for 360-400 days. This is a short period of time, so the animal’s appetite must be excellent. As a rule, the live weight of bulls ranges from 900-1000 kg, cows - 500-600 kg. This is difficult to achieve given the confined space environment.
To somehow increase appetite, barley and corn are added to the diet. Animals are also given other grain crops, grass, rice straw and different types of haylage. The last component is important, because it supplies protein, fiber, amino acids and microelements. This is the only way to achieve marbling of the meat. But this diet brings a unique sweet flavor to Wagyu meat, similar to peach or coconut. It can be detected when chewing the product; no other meat will give such a taste.
Bistecca
In Florence, bistecca is prepared almost everywhere, from tiny trattorias to Michelin-starred restaurants. This product is not cheap, but if somewhere a dish is listed on the menu for more than 70-80 euros per kilogram, it’s worth looking for another place.
Of course, there are strong people who can eat a whole kilogram piece of meat, but in general one serving of bistecca is designed for two or three, depending on appetite.
Even if you always order well-done meat everywhere, forget about it in Florence. Bistecca alla Fiorentina is a special gastronomic event. Don't get carried away with antipasti or thick soups before trying it.
It is best to wash down the bistecca with a good Chianti or Rosso di Montalcino. Brunello di Montalcino or Super Tuscan wines will be too serious and self-sufficient wines for such a dish.
Features of cultivation
As you know, Japan cannot boast of huge land areas. Therefore, cows are kept mainly in stalls; there is simply no place for them to pasture, because almost all free space in this country is sown with rice.
Lack of physical activity, decreased blood supply to the muscles, poor appetite - all these are consequences of keeping Wagyu cows in stalls. In order to somehow improve the animals' appetite, a small amount of beer or even sake is added to the diet. There is a mandatory massage to prevent the development of seizures. For massage, rough mittens or special brushes are used. This must be done, since the animal is deprived of movement. Wagyu bulls are sent for slaughter at the age of 1.5 years and in order for the meat to be marbled, their diet includes a large amount of grain.
After this, they are fed succulent grass for some time, this is necessary so that they gain strength. Then they are switched to a grain diet. To ensure that the fat layers are distributed evenly, the animals' movement is gradually limited.
Special soundproof rooms limit the motor activity of animals and they continue to be fattened in such conditions. It is believed that the less stress an animal receives, the more tender and tastier its meat will be. There is a completely logical explanation for this: the stress hormone - cortisol - greatly worsens the quality of meat.
This period, called the grain period, continues for approximately 10 more months. Wagyu bulls destined for meat are either castrated at an early age or simply not allowed near cows. No growth stimulants are used during fattening; this is strictly prohibited.
Every Wagyu bull in Japan is included in the register, so you can get detailed information about its contents and fattening features. The same register contains information about the family ties of each animal up to the third generation. The exact method of keeping and fattening Wagyu bulls, as well as all the details of this matter, are kept secret.
Japanese Wagiu cow
Notes
- ↑ (English). Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan (2007).
- ↑ (English). Wague - Japanese Beef
. Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan. - ↑ Motegi, Kazuto.
(English). The Tokyo Foundation (1 October 2009). - ↑ (English). Breeds of Livestock, Department of Animal Science
. Oklahoma State University. - ↑ (English). American Wagyu Association...
- Hongo J.
(English). The Japan Times (6 July 2010). - ↑
- ↑ Clay X.
(English). The Telegraph (12 February 2015). - (English). Wague - Japanese Beef
. Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan. - Olmsted L.
(English). Forbes (19 April 2012). - (English). American Wagyu Association.
- Kuzmichev I.
. Elle (January 12, 2016). - . News.am (October 13, 2016).
- Devine C.
(English). Herald Scotland (19 November 2012). - (English). japan-guide.com.
- John W. Longworth.
(English) (inaccessible link).
The Meat Digest
. Lucies Farm (28 October 2004). Retrieved February 20, 2017. - (English). Kobe Beef
. Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association. - . Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
- Sufrin J.
(English). The Globe and Mail (23 April 2015). - (English). BBC News (29 July 2013).
- Baroke S.
(English). GlobalMeat News (8 August 2014).
Chianina breed
Beef price per 1 kg
The name "Chianina" comes from the Chiana Valley, which stretches in Tuscany from Arezzo to San Casciano. It is not really known when the breed appeared, but ancient images of bulls very similar to Chianina date back to the 4th century. BC e. According to legend, it was these bulls that Tiberius sacrificed to Jupiter Capitolinus in honor of his triumph; perhaps they were harnessed to the plow of Romulus, plowing the line among the stones for the first walls of Rome.
The Romans and Etruscans valued these bulls for their efficiency, and their snow-white color looked especially good during triumphal processions and sacrifices.
Chianina is the largest breed currently existing, and, perhaps, one of the most beautiful - almost two-meter giants weighing under two tons, short-necked, black-nosed, with a dry and neat head, crowned with short straight horns with a “porcelain” tint - they look like this as if drawn with one stroke of a pen.
For the last half century, no one has thought of harnessing a bull to a plow, and breeding work is aimed at increasing muscle mass on the back and shoulder blades: this part is used for the famous Florentine steak. Incredibly tender Chianina meat with a special taste that is described as “buttery” contains almost no fat (ten times less than in chicken). Since since ancient times these cows were raised primarily for draft work, they have little fat, they produce very little milk, but their meat has virtually no cholesterol, which is regulated by law. The strictest quality control is carried out, to the point that for each individual from birth a special passport with a pedigree is issued, certifying the origin.
