Tatoosh
Full Fledged Farker
There is a growing controversy about the marketing of Wagyu beef, sometimes called Kobe Beef, in the USA and Australia. Some see it as an attempt by breeders to raise the bar, improving the quality of beef by selective breeding. Others see it as pure unadulterated marketing hype that inflates the price by claiming both a rarity and bloodline they simply do not have a right to.
I applaud the cattle raisers that try to improve their product's quality, not just quantity. The down side of this is the use of the term Wagyu (and sometimes Kobe) to describe American and Australian beef. In my view there ain't any in the USA. Or Australia. Or anywhere except Japan.
I'm sorry if this seem controversial, but there is a whole lot of advertising all over that is pushing this. Even here in the Philippines they are selling "Wagyu Burgers" for twice the price of their normal high end ones. I can flat guarantee you the Philippines has never seen one ounce of the real thing on these shores, regardless of what the burger joint's sign said.
There are cattle in the USA and Australia that came from Japan to be sure. Or at least bloodlines that had some Japanese cattle in them. But not the super select Tajima-gyu blood line raised in Hyogo. Those babies go nowhere but the barn and the Japanese restaurant that serves them.
The term Wagyu, according to pretty good sources, means "cattle" in Japanese. Not the super select, for sale only in Japan (with one exception in Macao) beef.
What you see when you get with the term Wagyu or Kobe beef from the USA is simply marketing. And, if you're lucky, meat raised by someone committed to trying to breed the best flavored beef they can. If not, you got a "new improved" sticker with matching price on the same old same old.
The bottom line is Japan does not export Wagyu. Not one ounce. Well, unless you are a very high roller in an old Portuguese colony on the coast of China. What the American beef producers should be selling "Wagyu Like" or "Wagyu Style" beef. Not Wagyu beef, 'cause it simply tain't that.
As an illustration, Champagne comes from a specific bit of terrain in France. No where else. If someone sells you Spanish Champagne or Argentine Champagne they are not only fibbing, they are breaking the law. Well, except in the USA. We do not acknowledge foreign "domains of production". We've been ducking that since 1891 when Europe and other countries signed a treaty protecting what is basically "intellectual property rights". The USA refused. Go figure.
So am I saying do not buy American Wagyu? Heck no, what I'm saying is ignore the hype and look at that cut of meat your are paying for. If it looks excellent and you don't mind the whatever price they've set, go for it. But don't believe you're getting the super rare, ultra expensive Japanese equivalent.
Pro: For a beef industry description of Wagyu Beef try: Wikipedia
Con: For a discussion about the abuse of the term Wagyu try: Forbes
So what ever side you come down on this, it's best to be informed and know there is a debate about what is being sold and what it really is or isn't.
Note: I grew up in Iowa and even the supermarket beef was superb in fifties and sixties. What is called Prime today could be picked out of the supermarket's cooler any day of the week. I grew up on corn-fed Midwestern beef and for me, nothing really compares, even the intensely marbled stuff in Japan.
I applaud the cattle raisers that try to improve their product's quality, not just quantity. The down side of this is the use of the term Wagyu (and sometimes Kobe) to describe American and Australian beef. In my view there ain't any in the USA. Or Australia. Or anywhere except Japan.
I'm sorry if this seem controversial, but there is a whole lot of advertising all over that is pushing this. Even here in the Philippines they are selling "Wagyu Burgers" for twice the price of their normal high end ones. I can flat guarantee you the Philippines has never seen one ounce of the real thing on these shores, regardless of what the burger joint's sign said.
There are cattle in the USA and Australia that came from Japan to be sure. Or at least bloodlines that had some Japanese cattle in them. But not the super select Tajima-gyu blood line raised in Hyogo. Those babies go nowhere but the barn and the Japanese restaurant that serves them.
The term Wagyu, according to pretty good sources, means "cattle" in Japanese. Not the super select, for sale only in Japan (with one exception in Macao) beef.
What you see when you get with the term Wagyu or Kobe beef from the USA is simply marketing. And, if you're lucky, meat raised by someone committed to trying to breed the best flavored beef they can. If not, you got a "new improved" sticker with matching price on the same old same old.
The bottom line is Japan does not export Wagyu. Not one ounce. Well, unless you are a very high roller in an old Portuguese colony on the coast of China. What the American beef producers should be selling "Wagyu Like" or "Wagyu Style" beef. Not Wagyu beef, 'cause it simply tain't that.
As an illustration, Champagne comes from a specific bit of terrain in France. No where else. If someone sells you Spanish Champagne or Argentine Champagne they are not only fibbing, they are breaking the law. Well, except in the USA. We do not acknowledge foreign "domains of production". We've been ducking that since 1891 when Europe and other countries signed a treaty protecting what is basically "intellectual property rights". The USA refused. Go figure.
So am I saying do not buy American Wagyu? Heck no, what I'm saying is ignore the hype and look at that cut of meat your are paying for. If it looks excellent and you don't mind the whatever price they've set, go for it. But don't believe you're getting the super rare, ultra expensive Japanese equivalent.
Pro: For a beef industry description of Wagyu Beef try: Wikipedia
Con: For a discussion about the abuse of the term Wagyu try: Forbes
So what ever side you come down on this, it's best to be informed and know there is a debate about what is being sold and what it really is or isn't.
Note: I grew up in Iowa and even the supermarket beef was superb in fifties and sixties. What is called Prime today could be picked out of the supermarket's cooler any day of the week. I grew up on corn-fed Midwestern beef and for me, nothing really compares, even the intensely marbled stuff in Japan.