The latest buzz on beef

by Jonathan M. Forester, Posted Dec 11th 2006 @ 4:04PM

We are now getting more and better beef available in the US like grass fed, wet vs. dry aged, natural, organic, and certified humanely treated. There is more high quality Choice and Prime grades available than ever before, including some of the super high Japanese grades, like the famous and hard to get Kobe / Wagyu premium beef which comes in 12 quality grades. The finest US Prime, of which only 2% of US beef gets graded and most goes to restaurants, tops out equal to Japanese grades 4-6 .

Can you imagine what grade 12 is like?

I can, I tried it several times in Japan and is is so well marbled that it is just full of white and pink speckles and streaks. (See the photo I took fall 2004 in a department store in Kobe, Japan of what I think is around grade 10) The grade 12 is so creamy that it is more white than red or pink. I enjoyed it best seared slightly on the outside but basically raw, chilled, sliced paper thin, with a soy and scallion dipping sauce to accentuate the flavors. Oh, by the way, I only recently found out that technically speaking, there's no such thing as Kobe beef, it is merely the shipping point for super premium quality beef from elsewhere in Japan. What is called "Kobe beef" comes from the ancient province of Tajima, what is now called Hyogo Prefecture, of which Kobe is the capital. In Japan real beef connoisseurs, however, refer to it as Tajima beef. This beef comes from an ancient stock of cattle bred for marbling and tenderness called "kuroge Wagyu" i.e. black haired Japanese cattle. Wagyu has become readily available in the US and Australia, sometimes it is called Kobe beef, which is both somewhat illegal and immoral, or else "Kobe Style" or American / Australian Wagyu.

Now, besides Wagyu we can get many other different breeds as well, each with their pros and cons as to flavor, fat and nutrient levels. Hereford and Black Angus have been around for awhile, but now we can get Red Angus, Chianina, Piedmontese, Simmental, Gelbvieh, Limousin, Charolais, and many more. It may take awhile to see all of these breeds in your local market, but as the herds increase you will see more available, first through gourmet butchers or markets and the Internet, then with it slowly trickling down the line until the major supermarket chains start offering the different breeds. Once that happens there will be a boom in the beef available. You will be able to choose low fat, high fat, different flavor profiles; all to fit your specific needs and wishes.

Filed Under: Trends, Ingredients
Tags: america, beef, certified, Chianina, dry aged, grass fed, GrassFed, Hereford, humane, kobe, meat, organic, Piedmontese, Red Angus, wagyu, wet aged

Chew on This

Royal Wedding Cake Details Revealed! - YumSugar

Make Your Own Pop Tarts - CHOW
Denny's Introduces a Maple Bacon Sundae - Eater
Whole Foods Opening Bars in Stores - USA Today
Rules Of Bar Etiquette -- For The Bartender - HuffPost Food

Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

12-11-2006 @4:19PM David said... 12 grades of beef? Good god. I can only pray that I will someday get to try all 12 grades in a non stop beef -a-thon.

For the money here in the US though, nothing beats Prime Iowa Beef. Good marble and plenty of taste. I get mine at a local butcher here.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

12-12-2006 @9:28AM Blarg said... Slate magazine did a taste test of several high-end steaks: http://www.slate.com/id/2152674/

Their conclusion was that marbling is overrated, and has nothing to do with the actual flavor of the meat.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

12-12-2006 @11:01PM MJ said... I know this is supppose to be hih grad beef and all but there is moe fat than meat! I have heard is it a wonderful thing to eat but that marbling is a bit much! And yes i would eat some if i were lucky enough to do so. But this aint healthy and a everyday eats.
Reply