What Makes Wagyu Beef Special?
Examine a cut of fine beef, and you will notice a large amount of intra-muscular fat. The whiteness of the fat contrasts with the red meat, forming a marble-like pattern. Indeed, in most countries, the more marbled the fat, the more tender and flavorful the meat, and consequently the higher the grade of the beef. The highest grade of beef (prime beef) under the USDA grading system needs to have 6-8 percent of marbled fat. In comparison, top quality wagyu boasts 20-25 percent marbled fat. This extremely high degree of marbled fat is what gives wagyu beef its superior texture and taste. Yet this fat is mostly monounsaturated, which can actually lower LDL (or ‘bad’) cholesterol. This should provide guilty relief to fans of wagyu beef. The most famous form of wagyu is undoubtedly ‘Kobe Beef’. This refers specifically to beef from the Tajima strain of Japanese Black wagyu, of the Hyogo Prefecture in Kobe. Among all the wagyu breeds, Tajima wagyu is prized for its ability to develop extremel
