Kobe Beef

Kobe Beef Origins
Kobe beef originates from a specific herd of cattle, called Wagyu cattle, based in Japan. The specific breed used from the Wagyu cattle is the Tajima-ushi breed that is black in color and normally raised in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The Japanese mountain terrain allowed Kobe beef production to be isolated in specific areas.

Production of this kind began in the second century for rice cultivating animals. As beef began to be consumed on a regular basis, workers were instructed to massage the cows' muscles for better meat quality. The topographical isolation allows the Wagyu breed to be specifically maintained in comparison to other breeds in other countries. The terrain also contributes to cattle's feeding and movement abilities.

All of these techniques combined lead to a specific form of beef that has very distinguishable characteristics. These characteristics include distinctive unsaturated and saturated fat ratios and heavy marbling.

Characteristics
The marbling and fats of Kobe beef makes it a delicacy with specific tenderness, fatty components, texture, and flavor. Traditionally this kind of beef is used in many cooking and preparing techniques, including sashimi, sukiyaki, steak, teppanyaki, and shabu shabu. However not all cuts of the Tajima-ushi breed are named Kobe beef, but rather only specific parts of the animal.

Preparing this kind of beef in Japan comes with many misconceptions. Some myths include massaging sake into the animals' muscles and feeding them beer. The cattle instead graze from grain fodders and are regularly brushed. Because of the care of these animals, the Tajima-ushi beef has a lower fat melting point than all other cattle breeds.

In America
Through tourism and the media, Kobe beef has come into high demand in the United States and Britain. Because of this farms have attempted to make their own Kobe beef, though it is different from the traditional Japanese technique. Farmers combine the domestic Wagyu breed with the Angus breed.

According to tradition this production is not technically Kobe beef, though it is replicated in both the United States and Britain. Both countries have tried to maximize the Japanese tradition and have fed the cattle beer, leading to the common misconception.

The American and British techniques of developing their own Kobe beef is less expensive. Rather than feed the cross-bred cattle Japanese grain, which is more expensive, the cattle feed on less expensive British or American grains and grasses. These grazing habits and breeding combinations lead to a bolder flavor than the Japanese Kobe beef as well as darker meat.

Purchase
Many restaurants in both Britain and the United States serve Kobe beef; however odds say that the beef is probably the hybrid of the Wagyu and Angus herds. The high demand for true Kobe beef, and its limited availability, leads this estimation to most likely be true.

Internet sites also allow consumers to purchase Kobe beef, but a majority of the time it will in fact be of the hybrid herd. Both countries notoriously consume larger amounts of beef yearly than Japan, so these websites allow large amounts of American or British Kobe beef to be purchased. Cuts can include filet mignon, roasts, and steaks.