The world-famous Japanese Wagyu beef is a true culinary rarity, and once you taste it, you will never forget the taste! How is this possible? Read on and discover the secrets of Wagyu!
There are animals who live free, according to Mende legends, listening to the sounds of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Niccolò Paganini, Johann Sebastian Bach and Frédéric Chopin. Every evening you are visited by a masseuse, you drink beer and are treated as lovingly as a newborn baby. Of course, these are just urban legends, but strangely enough, they are not far from reality, having become part of Japanese culture.
Every nation has a breed of cattle - the Japanese have the Kobe cattle
Every locality, every nation has its own gastronomic heritage. These specialities can really change the cuisine, their formation adapting to trends and expectations and fitting in with what is dictated by the gastronomic needs of the world. Look what can be made of a simple beef, if it is treated well! Through breed purity, breeding, careful handling and with the expertise gained meat you can build a world-famous brand.
If you thought that the rare Kobe cattle could not be found in Austria, you are mistaken! The Kobe has been around for a long time, but since we are talking about a speciality it is not available in endless quantities. Who really Premium quality on his own table or on the table of his restaurant, he had better seize the opportunities in good time.
What is Wagyu?
In short, it is a national treasure of the Japanese. This meat is particularly tender, beautifully marbled, perfect in flavour, suitably succulent and extremely popular. If a chef really wants to present something special and unique that will astound even the most sensitive and demanding guests, he should choose this meat. Sure, it is only available in limited quantities and is therefore considered expensive, but the experience that you can gather during the meal is like nothing else.
Wagyu literally means cow in Japanese, “wa” means Japanese and “gyu” means cow. Of course, that sounds simple. Originally, as in many parts of the world, they were used as draught animals, and when someone came to Japan, this meat was offered to the guest. As simple a dish as it seemed, it offered an even more special experience and quickly spread around the world.
The Wagyu's amazing marbling is due to the fact that it draws the energy needed to pull from the fat stored evenly distributed between the muscle fibres. With this realisation, they began to consciously breed the breed. The Japanese Wagyu we know today was created by crossing 4 types of cattle - the Japanese Black, the Japanese Brown, the Japanese Shorthorn and the Japanese Poll. In 1944, it was classified as a native Japanese beef cattle.
And that's what Wagyu is really like!
To actually use the word Wagyu on a product, a number of conditions must be met. In Japan, there are strict laws about what meat can be called Wagyu. First and foremost, the breeding conditions are scrutinised. Only free-range cattle are eligible, and they really are „massaged“! When they brush their fur, their bodies are also thoroughly rubbed at the same time. The young Wagyu calves are hand-fed only, given milk replacer to drink and even use blankets in cold weather.
The export of Wagyu cattle has been banned by the Japanese government! Therefore, you can only get original 100% Wagyu meat from Japan. This means that Wagyu is very expensive to buy in our stock or on our plates. Of course you can find products from crossbreeds on the market which are not 100% pure, but this is always declared on the packaging. If you really want good quality you have to pay attention to this. The Japan Meat Association lists the meat quality from A to C. The Premium category is clearly A, and within this the marbling is oriented on a scale of 1 to 5.
Why is Wagyu an experience on the plate?
Japanese Wagyu is considered a premium category worldwide! The highest quality is category A5. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that the fat does not separate from the meat and is surrounded by a marbling. When eaten, it has a smooth texture, is a juicy pleasant experience and we can expect a buttery soft texture.
What's more, the original Wagyu meat is also healthy because it is high in omega-3. According to the Japanese, three factors are important in Wagyu: appearance, taste and aroma, as well as the so-called retronasal aroma, which is felt in the nasal cavity when the meat is chewed. A true culinary paradise!
Where can you buy it?
The demand is very high and therefore the fewer there are, the better, so it is worth buying with the help of an expert. Primarily from Japan, of course, but hardly anyone offers a genuine Wagyu product, so a genuine piece of Wagyu is a real treasure, not just for the Japanese, but for the whole world. If you find a piece to buy, then strike, because it sells out fast.
Want to read more? Click You are here and learn more about the world famous Iberico ham in our article!
