Kobe beef - what is it? Most likely, some people first hear about this type of product. It is a unique and officially registered trademark. Kobe beef in Japan is considered the property of the country. In this article you will learn how this type of product differs from other varieties, and how it is produced.
Some meat info
Since the 7th century, the Japanese have been forbidden to eat meat. Permission was introduced only in the middle of the XIX century. Due to the fact that cattle were isolated and isolated for a long time, natural selection was carried out. As a result, animals that were characterized by a high content of intramuscular fat became dominant.
In 1910, such a thing as “wagyu” appeared, which meant “Japanese cow”. In turn, they are divided into four types: short-horned, hornless, brown, black. The most common type of animal in Japan is the most common. It was obtained as a result of crossing a Vagu with European breeds. It is they who give marble meat. There are other types of cattle, the product of which also has such a shade. But the meat considered in the article is considered a reference. Kobe beef, the photo of which is presented below, differs in color from the usual product.
One of the best places for the production of Japanese marbled kobe beef is considered the city of the same name in Hyogo Prefecture. Europeans who tried this type of product called it that way.
Currently, the term "kobe beef" refers to the marble type of meat, not only in Japan but also in the United States.
Unlike European cows, vagus are kept in stalls for the accumulation of fat mass.
How is cattle rearing?
Proper nutrition for vagi is natural feed and the absence of artificial additives. Corn and barley are present in their diet. It is they who have the property to give the same white color to the product.
Diet is considered one of the main criteria for obtaining kobe beef. This type of meat is formed only with a uniform increase in the weight of the animal. Also marbling depends on the age of cattle. To get kobe beef, gobies are not slaughtered, whose age has not yet reached thirty months. Since calves initially produce only subcutaneous fat, and then intramuscularly.
Kobe marbled beef has gained worldwide fame. But, unfortunately, it is difficult to get it out of Japan, as residents are rather “greedy” about their products. For this reason, this type of meat is now bred in the United States. Also, the product can be found in Australia and New Zealand.
Only here is the opinion on how to grow cattle, the inhabitants of these countries differ.
The Japanese are confident that wagyou need to grow only in closed stalls, and the Americans adhere to the fact that the best product is obtained with grazing.
The latest representatives marble the meat and other breeds of animals.
Description of Kobe Beef
Marble meat has about 120 varieties. Each of them is named after the village in which it is produced. By the way, it is called so, because at the cut it looks like a stone streaked with veins. This effect is achieved due to the presence of thin layers of fat in muscle tissue. They give beef amazing lightness and juiciness. The source of the marble product is the meat of young gobies. Because of this, a low content of connective tissue in beef is obtained, which provides such a taste quality as tenderness. As mentioned above, they are grown using special technology. There is even a saying about kobe that says that you don’t need teeth for this meat.
Typically, a Japanese chef cooks kobe beef on a large stove in front of visitors. The meat is fried in vegetable oil with spices and sesame seeds.
Also in restaurants you can find a dish called sukiyaki nabe. It is served along with bean curd, raw egg, vegetables and noodles. The cook himself only prepares the ingredients, and guests cook thin slices of meat in a saucepan with a weak broth.
The most important criterion for kobe beef is its marbling. In another way, it can be called the quality of intermuscular fat. We consider this in more detail below.
What are the product categories?
In this section you can get acquainted with beef kobe, a description of each type of meat. So, this type of product is divided into five categories, and according to the properties of the cut - into classes A, B, C.
One of the best is light pink meat, which is penetrated by thin fatty layers. Here we are talking about the fifth category. This type of product is sold for a large amount of money at auctions. As a rule, they are bought by the owners of Tokyo and Kyoto restaurants.
The most common are the fourth and third categories of meat. They are slightly darker and less marbled. But their taste qualities are excellent. Such kobe beef has a soft and aromatic odor.
Foreign buyers are not so interested in the first and second category of this product. Because it is not very different from just good meat.
How are the letter symbols at the place of cut deciphered?
So, the softest pieces of the front part of the thick edge belong to class A. That is, this species is considered the best.
Class B contains pieces of a thick and thin edge from the middle of the carcass. They are used for steaks.
Class C product is the toughest. It includes the back of a thin edge. This type of product is usually used in the preparation of tartar and carpaccio.
In the USA, the scale for beef quality is designed for the usual type of meat. The marble look of the product exceeds the standards of the Prime class. For this reason, farmers have come up with their own scale, which depends on the marbling of meat. So, it is customary to distinguish between silver (about 13%), black (20%) and gold (highest, more than 23%) categories of kobe beef.
What can I cook?
The Japanese cook this type of product. The most popular dish made from this type of meat is sukiyaki. This is beef, which is cut into thin slices. It is quickly boiled in boiling broth. Served with mushrooms, vegetables and sauce.
Sometimes Japanese Kobe beef is served as sashimi, i.e. raw. They fry this product very rarely.
In turn, Americans are cutting steaks from beef. They fry them on charcoal or in a skillet. This type of dish became popular after product information. She said that marbled meat contains more omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, as opposed to plain beef. As you know, they are very useful for the human body.
Russian farmers are marbled herefords. It is worth noting that the latter do not stand in first place for the production of kobe beef. But you can buy this type of meat, because Herefords are considered one of the best breeds. You can also make excellent steaks from it.
What wines are suitable for dishes from this meat?
Kobe beef has a long aftertaste quality. Therefore, for dishes prepared from marbled meat, it is necessary to choose a difficult wine. But you need to remember that meat has an unusual tenderness. In this case, complex wines will not work. Dishes are not recommended to be combined with Bordeaux and California cabernet. They can go well with angus beef steak.
Where can I try this product?
It’s just that kobe beef cannot be purchased in stores. As you remember, it is an elite product. In Japan, one kilogram of marbled meat costs about $ 160.
In case you want to try this type of product, you should choose the place where Australian beef is presented. Also, the pedigree of meat is best to find out in advance, since the price category varies greatly.
If you still want to try genuine Kobe beef, you can only do this in Japan itself. Therefore, if you ever visit this country, do not forget to enjoy marbled meat.