how to cook Kobe Beef

 Juicy and rare, Kobe Beef has gained fame in restaurants around the world. Its limited production, and the price that can reach an incredible US$1,000 per kilo, attracts the attention of culinary lovers and also those who work in the agricultural market. After all, what is it about Kobe Beef that made it a sought-after item?

Kobe Beef vs Wagyu

Not all Wagyu is Kobe Beef, but all Kobe Beef is Wagyu. This is because Wagyu is the name given to Japanese beef as a whole – and to the breeds that came from Japan, and Kobe is a premium variety of Wagyu. What differentiates Kobe from other Wagyu meats (which are also of very high quality) are the standards of creation, selection, feeding and production, established in Hyogo, a province whose capital is the city of Kobe.

Super-premium meat

Kobe beef has its own marbling, being almost white, which means the meat has webs of fat that melt easily when heated. In practice, fat gives the steak its tenderness and that “melt in your mouth” quality. Kobe Beef is so tender that thin, raw cuts are a delicacy.

The fat in Japanese cattle is so valued that it is an important component of their meat grading criteria. On the Japanese scale, the degree of fat is measured from 0 to 12, but in Brazil, it was only possible to produce up to level 10. The average meat in the United States, to give you an idea, is at degree 5. The higher the degree of fat, or marble, the more expensive the meat.

The genetic variation of Wagyu – mainly the Tajima-Gyu breed – allows it to have more intramuscular fat, and this same fat melts at lower temperatures, meaning the flavor becomes richer, as if it were buttery. The fat is not saturated, rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6, meaning it can also be healthier.

Kobe beef is the champagne of meats

The quality of the meat brought popularity. But, it's important for everyone to know that much of what is sold as Kobe Beef outside of Japan is not, in fact, Kobe. After all, to earn this seal, the meat needs to be certified. Not only must it come from Tajima-ushi cattle raised on one of just 260 certified farms in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, but the beef must weigh less than 1,034 pounds as well as have a certain carcass to lean fat percentage. To ensure standards, all Kobe beef must be processed in a Hyogo slaughterhouse.

“It's a lot like champagne: there are strict guidelines for what actually qualifies as champagne and the alcohol industry abides by this nomenclature restriction. And like Champagne, comparing a burger that says it's from Kobe as being real Kobe is similar to using the same description for André, a sparkling wine brand, and Dom Pérignon,” commented Michael Coggins, founding partner of Holy Grail Provisions, in an interview with Forbes .

In 2020, there were only 5,500 Kobe cattle being raised in Japan. In other words, it is a rare meat – which, in part, justifies the price. 

Some interesting facts about Kobe Beef

The treatment that Wagyu cattle receive has already been the subject of some exaggerations. Some say that animals drink beer every day. When in fact, they only feed on barley during certain seasons. And it is believed that the cereal helps the animals' appetite – resulting in healthier fattening. 

Cattle also receive feed with a high starch content, which generates energy to transform into intramuscular fat. 

The animals are brushed daily, and also receive regular massages. Some say they are made with sake, but it is just a myth.