How is the Quality of Wagyu beef measured?
In the US we are use to having the quality of beef measured as somewhere between USDA Prime and Select, with USDA Choice in the middle. These are the top three of the seven quality grades used by the USDA which is based on the density of marbling between the 12th and 13th beef rib. The quality of Wagyu beef is rated on a 12-point marbling-score scale. Using the stricter ‘Wagyu Grading Scale’ USDA Prime beef only rates a 5 or 6, where the most prized wagyu beef in Kobe, Japan comes in at the top with a 12. The marbling of Kobe Beef is so dense that the ratio of lean muscle to marbling can reach 9:1.
