KOBE BEEF
Kobe beef (神戸ビーフ, Kōbe bīfu) is Wagyu beef from the Tajima strain of Japanese Black cattle, raised in Japan‘s Hyōgo Prefecture according to rules set out by the Kobe Beef Marketing and Distribution Promotion Association. The meat is a delicacy, valued for its flavor, tenderness, and fatty, well-marbled texture. Kobe beef can be prepared as steak, sukiyaki, shabu-shabu, sashimi, and teppanyaki. Kobe beef is generally considered one of the three top brands (known as Sandai Wagyu, “the three big beefs”), along with Matsusaka beef and Ōmi beef or Yonezawa beef.
Wagyu is just a word that means “Japanese Beef”. There are four breeds of Wagyu cattle that are native to Japan. Of these breeds, there is one that stands out as something truly remarkable: the Kuroge Washu.
It’s a breed with a unique genetic predisposition to marblizing its fat inside the muscle tissue. That incredibly marbled beef has become synonymous with “Kobe beef” and A5 Wagyu. It’s because of this special breed, the Kuroge Washu.
The ecosystem necessary to produce A5 Wagyu — the gene pool, methods of raising the animals, the feed regimen, the organizations and expertise needed to rate and certify the beef correctly — is completely unique to Japan.
Kobe beef and wagyu beef is very delicious but it is expensive. It is uncommon due its rarity, that’s why the price is very high. It is not an everyday food to the public.
