Wagyu beef is famous for its fine, even marbling, which bastes the meat as it cooks from the inside out.
Photo: SNAKE RIVER FARMS
Wagyu Beef - Safe, Succulent and No Longer RareBy Carole Kotkin
Regular massages, sake skin treatments, first-class food and as much beer as you care to drink...All of this might sound like the ultimate spring break, but it actually was once the regimen of some of the world's most pampered cattle - Japan's prized Kobe beef. Although the lifestyle may seem enviable to us humans, it inevitably led to the slaughterhouse. The intent of all this coddling, of course, was to raise cattle in such a way that their flesh became highly marbled with small, finely interspersed flecks of fat. Marbling so subtle and consistent bastes a steak from its interior to ensure its juiciness and depth of flavor.
Kobe is the appellation for the beef that comes from a breed of cattle called Wagyu (in Japanese "wa" means Japanese-style and "gyu" cattle). The breed arrived in Japan's Kobe region from the Asian mainland in the second century A.D and soon spread throughout the mainland. The cattle were used as beasts of burden in the rice paddies because Buddhism prohibited the consumption of meat until it was decided in the 1600s that a beef-rich diet would make for strong warriors.
It was around this same time that Dutch traders arriving in the region began eating the beef, which they then dubbed "Kobe." Eventually, the Japanese themselves discovered the beef's buttery, succulent, melt-in-your-mouth flavor and, over successive generations, the breed was refined for a broader commercial market.
For centuries, the Wagyu cattle were raised only in Japan, but that is no longer the case. Recent decades have seen the development of select breeding programs in countries with more pasture land at their disposal such as Australia, Canada, Great Britain and the United States.
Shogo Takeda, the first breeder on Hokkaido Island (in northern Japan), was among the first to raise Wagyu in America. In 1996, he imported to Sioux Center, Iowa, four Wagyu bulls and 30 Wagyu cows. The Takeda American herd eventually grew to 250 head, and in 1999 Takeda sold his American operation to Gary Yamamoto, a second-generation Japanese-American businessman who renamed the enterprise Gary Yamamoto Custom Beef. The herd now numbers 1,700. The cattle are born in Texas, fed an all-natural diet of legumes, grains and grasses without any animal by-products in custom feed lots in Iowa (the state's climate is similar to that of Hokkaido), butchered in Nebraska and Texas, and finally shipped to restaurants and retail outlets.
The manner in which the Wagyu cattle were originally raised has long been a source of fascination and myth. Beer was fed to the cattle to stimulate their appetites in the summer months when the heat depressed their food intake, and massages were given to relieve stress and muscle stiffness caused by limited roaming. Some cattle were even groomed with sake because it was believed that softness of the coat and skin impacted meat quality. "That was what small, traditional Japanese farmers, rearing two or three cows each, used to do," explains Mark Hoegh, director of marketing for the Mabank, Texas-based Yamamoto ranch. "Modern-day Japanese realize that massages and beer don't do anything to promote better beef. Such practices are only employed today on rare occasions for competitions -- just enough to create a legend."
Gary Yamamoto Custom Beef does, however, feed its Wagyu herd the by-products of barley and small grains from American beer and alcohol companies. Hoegh says the mash has nearly a 40 percent protein content, and because it's pre-fermented, the cattle do not have to use a lot of energy to digest it. Plus, he says, "The cattle really like the taste."
Today there are about 45 American Wagyu ranchers, and because mad cow disease recently surfaced here (as in Japan), these cattle may even prove to be a safer haven than conventionally raised beef. Indeed, Hoegh, who has never used feed that contains animal by-products, notes that business has actually increased this winter because his customers know that they are buying a safe product. "We have a totally source-verified herd," he proclaims. "We can tell you almost any detail you want to know - the fathers of the animals, which of our ranches they originated from, what they were fed from weaning to the packer floor. We even know whether they were bottle-fed as a calf or on what day they were weaned from their mother."
"Consumers want to know where their meat comes from to be sure that it's fed and raised properly and humanely," agrees Dan Morgan of Morgan Ranch, a third-generation, family-owned and -operated working cattle ranch in the heart of the Nebraska Sand Hills. His ranch is one of the few approved by the USDA for export of cattle and meat to Europe. "We go to great lengths every step of the way to avoid animal by-products in our feed, thus eliminating the possibility of mad cow disease. Our cows and calves are only fed corn, alfalfa and native grass. When they are sent to the finishing lots, their diet consists of corn, soybean based protein, alfalfa, distiller grains and some chopped hay."
Safety issues aside, conscientious carnivores might even prefer American Wagyu (which chefs and butchers often incorrectly refer to as "Kobe" in much the same way that California sparkling wines are sometimes mislabeled "Champagne") over the Japanese product. For example, Jay Theiler, marketing director for Snake River Farms in Boise, Idaho (a subsidiary of AgriBeef), says, "We have a more humane approach than does Japan where the cattle are tied to a post with a nose ring. Our cattle are free to roam until they are a year old. After that, they are not allowed to graze in order to limit exercise and promote soft, tender muscles. But we have adopted many aspects of the heritage-steeped Japanese feeding methods, including a slow-paced, all-natural cycle of bringing these cattle to market."
Joseph Friel, executive chef at The Beau Rivage Hotel in Biloxi, Mississippi, thinks one reason for Wagyu's surprising tenderness is that it comes from contented animals. At The Federalist on Beacon Hill in Boston, executive chef David Daniels adds that "American Wagyu tastes incredible. These animals are treated humanely and given the best possible care and feeding, and the end product reflects that."
Fourth-generation cattle rancher R. L. Freeborn, president of The American Wagyu Association, and owner of Kobe Beef America, Inc., goes to great lengths for his bovines. His cattle are born and bred in Bend, Oregon - the herd currently numbers 4,500 to 5,000 head - but he boards them out to small family ranches in Iowa with an emphasis on sustainable farming. "It's like sending our cows to a resort where they are pampered all winter long by caring farmers," he remarks.
Normally, if a steer gains fewer than three pounds per day, its owner will lose money. This is not the case with Wagyu. "We do not cut corners by adding any growth-promoting hormones or animal by-products in our feeding program," Snake River Farm's Theiler explains. Nor are antibiotics given during the animal's last year. Instead, Snake River cattle are fed varied "slow-grow" rations of barley, golden wheat straw, alfalfa hay and Idaho potatoes for about 600 days. "This is about four times as long as typical cattle are fed," he says. "The slow-grow method packs fat on the inside of the muscle - not the outside of the meat like in common commodity beef - to give the beef its extraordinary marbling. Just like a fine wine, it's not truly Kobe until its time," Theiler quips.
Or until its "prime." Domestic beef, in general, is graded by the amount of finely marbled fat running through the muscle. While prime is the highest USDA grade for beef, the quality of Wagyu beef is far higher, so a combination of Japanese and American grading systems is used. Kobe beef scores between 5 and 8 on the very stringent Japanese beef grading scale. In comparison, normal USDA Prime cuts range 3+ to 4. More important, perhaps, is that while Wagyu beef is laced with fat, Washington State University researchers discovered that most of it is monounsaturated, not the saturated type linked to heart disease that is contained in most other beef.
Slices of raw Wagyu beef can be eaten sashimi- style so the natural and delicate taste of the beef is preserved. But many Americans prefer it gently seared, like tuna or foie gras, so that the meat is crisp on the outside and rare on the inside.
Because the finely marbled fat melts quickly and burns easily (it cooks 35 percent faster than choice or standard prime beef), special care is required when preparing it. To avoid toughness from long cooking, Chef Friel butterflies a 14-ounce Wagyu strip steak and serves two 7-ounce steaks on the same plate. "I just sauté [the beef] in clarified butter and season with salt and pepper. Make sure the pan is hot enough so that you get a good sear. It takes about 90 seconds on each side. That's it. Made this way, you can cut it with a fork. The taste is nutty and buttery, even fatty, but in the best possible way," he says.
Because of the length of its finish, "You almost have to have Kobe or Wagyu beef with wine," insists Beau Rivage sommelier Scott Sutherland. "It seems to melt in your mouth, leaving a rich flavor behind."
Dominique Macquet, chef-proprietor of Dominique's in New Orleans, concurs: "The beef is rich with a lot of marbling, so you need a wine that won't be flat. If the wine doesn't have enough complexity, the beef will be on top." For the ideal pairing, he and his wine director Walter Bertot recommend the DeLille 2001 Chaleur Estate bottling. "Washington State wines are underrated," Chef Macquet notes. "The Chaleur is the best Bordeaux-style blend in the country, with complex fruit but not a lot of oak."
And that subtlety is the key to matching wines with Wagyu. To follow a bite with a tannic Bordeaux or a huge California Cab would be to lose the refined taste of the meat immediately. If the meat is unadorned, perhaps quickly seared and sprinkled with a little salt and pepper, uncork a suitably elegant and soft Pinot Noir. If accompanied by a red wine-based sauce, try to echo the aromatic or flavor components of the sauce. This holds true for preparations that call for fruit, mushrooms or truffles. Though purists would suggest that Wagyu needs no adornment, it's always easy to pick up on those additional flavors with the wine choice.
The texture, which can be buttery, too, is another Wagyu hallmark, though Barton G., event impresario and owner of Barton G. in Miami Beach, notes that not everyone likes it. "Some people consider it almost too soft," he observes. Barton G.'s master chef Ted Mendez and executive chef Arthur Jones give the meat a little more resistance by forming it into a chopped steak and quickly grilling it, then serving it with mushrooms, cream cheese hash browns and brown gravy. "You can't beat the flavor," says Barton G., who buys his domestically raised Wagyu beef from Snake River Farms.
Although more affordable than Japanese Kobe beef, the American-raised equivalent is still considered the culinary equivalent of a California cult Cabernet with a price tag to match. Stanley Lobel, co-owner of Lobel's of New York, a high-end, Madison Avenue butcher shop, notes, "In Japan, Kobe beef sells at more than $300 per pound. Our Wagyu, while still more expensive than USDA prime, costs around $100 per pound." In fact, steaks are priced about twice the rate of prime American meat, and filet mignon can cost as much as $120. But some Midwestern supermarkets and on-line purveyors, arguably less exclusively priced than Manhattan custom butchers, sell Wagyu rib-eyes and filets for $30 and $40 per pound, respectively.
Menu prices are reflectively high as well. The Old Homestead Steak House in Manhattan and Atlantic City almost caused a stampede when, in 2003, it launched a $41 burger made from 20 ounces of Wagyu beef served with lobster mushrooms, herb butter and micro-greens on a Parmesan twist roll with three sauces - horseradish, homemade ketchup and stone-ground Champagne mustard - on the side. (In case you were wondering, it does come with fries.) Despite, or perhaps because of, its astronomical price, the restaurant sold more than 200 of these tony burgers on the first day they were offered, co-owner Greg Sherry recalls.
Sherry first tasted Japanese Kobe beef quickly cooked in the traditional Japanese shabu shabu, in which the translucent slices of steak are swished through boiling broth, in 1995. He began importing it and put a 2-1/2-pound rib-eye steak for two on his menu for $150. (In Japan, a two-ounce serving is considered proper.)
Farther up the seaboard, Federalist customers never balk at the price either. "They recognize quality," Boston's Chef Daniels notes. Discretionary incomes may not be what they once were, but there remains a segment of the American market that seeks quality over quantity no matter the cost.
Thus many Wagyu ranchers, like Morgan, are modest producers. That's an element that Chef Macquet, for one, appreciates. "Dan is not into mass production. He really takes pride in his product. It's not like ordering from Sysco. He'll call me and tell me what he has available. I'm very fortunate to have met someone like him," he says.
Yet others believe quality-control can still be achieved with larger herds, while at the same time making the beef more cost-effective. Snake River Farms, for instance, began raising Wagyu cattle in 1993 with the goal of making Kobe-style beef more available to American consumers. "We started by flying 60 head over here from Japan in a jumbo jet," Theiler says. "Our feed lots currently accommodate around 6,000 head of Wagyu cattle. Just three years ago, we sold 100 percent to Japan, but due to tremendous [domestic] demand, we now sell 50 percent of our meat in the U.S." Last year, Snake River Farms sold three million pounds of Wagyu.
Regardless of the menu price, many chefs report that domestically raised Wagyu beef dishes are among the top sellers at their restaurants. "Nothing tastes like it," says Oliver Saucy, chef-owner of Café Maxx in Pompano Beach, Florida. "The way it melts in your mouth is unbelievable. We put [Kobe-style] beef on the menu because our customers can't believe how juicy and moist it is."
American-raised Wagyu may be causing a sensation in food circles, but The Old Homestead's Sherry insists that "Kobe beef from Japan is the world's best beef - so much superior to American-grown [Wagyu]." He notes that it took a while for California wines to compare favorably with French wines, and, "In time, our beef will be as good, too," he says.
Dan Morgan agrees: "After selling Angus beef to Japan for many years, my Japanese clients told me that we had a good product, but not good enough. When I finally tasted Japanese Kobe beef, I agreed that the taste was superior." In 1993 and 1994, when trade liberalization laws were passed, Morgan purchased a herd of American Wagyu and incorporated the newest Japanese genetics. As a result, his cattle are 75 to 100 percent genetically Wagyu.
In the past, mainly filet mignon and strip steaks from Wagyu cattle were available. Both chefs Saucy and Daniels work with those traditional cuts, cooking the beef as little as possible. Chef Saucy grills a filet to very rare, slices it carpaccio-thin and serves it with white truffle aïoli; Chef Daniels seasons a three-ounce appetizer sirloin with freshly cracked black pepper, then sears it to rare and garnishes it with fried garlic risotto, chanterelle puree and fingerling potatoes with truffle butter.
Today chefs can equally utilize flank, skirt and rib-eye steaks. Saucy appreciates the newer, more flavorful options, which allow for less fussy dishes; he marinates Wagyu flank steak in a sweet barbecue sauce and grills it to rare.
Chef Macquet takes advantage of two trends at once. "Short ribs are back," the Mauritius-born, classically French-trained chef says, "and more popular than ever," which is why he slowly braises them in a twice-reduced sauce that utilizes three bottles of Cabernet. As an added bonus, if a customer brings in a special bottle of wine, he'll add a little to the sauce as well.
At Bin 36 in Chicago, executive chef John Caputo, former chef at Jordan Winery in Sonoma County, also serves short ribs aptly accented with wine, a Port-Syrah combination that he reduces to a demi-glace. But lunch is less formal: He offers Wagyu beef in the form of a Philly cheese steak wrap with caramelized onions, mushrooms, peppers and cheddar cheese.
Still, nowhere is this pedigreed beef served more unconventionally than at The Old Homestead, where the newest menu item is a wrist-thick Wagyu beef hot dog. Accouterments include a bowl of spicy chili, sautéed Vidalia onions and bell peppers, and a small pot of melted Cheshire cheese. Whether the dish takes Wagyu down a peg or its higher-than-usual quality simply upgrades an American favorite, the end result is more than comfort food - it's pure contentment.
Food Editor Carole Kotkin is a Miami-based cooking instructor and consultant who co-authored Mmmmiami - Tempting Tropical Tastes for Home Cooks Everywhere.
Lobel's tips for cooking Wagyu Beef
- Steaks and roasts are best cooked rare and no more than medium rare. Overcooking will melt the delicate marbling that imparts richness and tenderness to the beef.
- Steaks should not be seared quite as hot as prime beef because the flesh is more delicate. Cuts such as brisket and short ribs are best braised; given the long cooking times of this method, standard instructions will work.
- All cuts, except for ground beef, should be brought to room temperature before grilling, pan-searing or roasting.
- Burgers should be formed and then refrigerated for about 30 minutes.
- Approximate total cooking times for a preheated oven broiler per inch-thick steaks are: rare, 9 minutes; medium, 14 minutes; and medium-well, 19 minutes. Red-hot charcoal may take less time. Give filet mignon one minute less to cook than other steaks.
- Remove steaks from the refrigerator at least half an hour before cooking.
- Preheat broiler or grill to maximum temperature.
- Rub both sides of the steaks with coarse salt and pepper.
- Place the steaks 3 to 5 inches from flame to sear the outside and seal in the juices.
- Turn the steaks after 2 to 3 minutes.
- After the steaks have been seared on both sides, remove from heat and brush both sides with extra-virgin olive oil. This will help form the crust that adds the touch of perfection.
- Return the steaks to heat and cook on both sides to a desired doneness.
- Transfer to warmed dinner plates or a platter, and let rest five minutes before serving.
Compiled by
JEN L. KARETNICK
Kobe Beef Philly Steak Wrap
From Executive Chef John Caputo of Bin 36
- 16 ounces thinly sliced Kobe beef
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 8 white button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 ounces grated sharp white cheddar cheese
- 4 large flour tortilla wraps
In a sauté pan over high heat, quickly sear the Kobe beef, caramelizing the meat for sweetness; lower heat, add vegetable mixture and toss with meat. When all is hot, remove pan from heat and toss in cheese. Divide ingredients among tortillas and roll each like a burrito. Place the rolled wraps on a griddle and cook all sides to a light, crisp texture. Serve immediately.
Serves 4
Snake River Kobe Chopped Steak
From Master Chef Ted Mendez & Executive Chef Arthur Jones of Barton G.
- 11 ounces Snake River Kobe chopped steak
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- 1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
- 4 mushrooms, chopped
Serves 1
Seared Sirloin Carpaccio
with White Truffle Aïoli & Crostini
From Chef Oliver Saucy of Café Maxx
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds Kobe beef tenderloin
- 1 ounce olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chopped shallot
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 2-3 tablespoons red wine
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1-2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 3-4 sprigs rosemary, roughly chopped
- 3-4 sprigs thyme, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon crushed black peppercorns
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese shavings
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped capers
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped opal basil
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped chives
- Kosher salt and black pepper as needed
- Truffle oil as desired
Serves 4 to 8
For the Aïoli:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 ounce white truffle oil
- 1 teaspoon chopped shallots
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 1-2 teaspoons chopped mixed herbs (parsley, basil, chive)
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Crostini:
- 1/2 loaf French bread sliced thinly on an angle
- 1-2 tablespoons melted butter, or as desired
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed
- Salt and pepper
Morgan Ranch Kobe Beef Short Rib Pavé
with Roasted Butternut Squash-Kobe Beef Croquette
From Chef Dominique Macquet of Dominique's
- 10 6-ounce portions Kobe Beef Short Ribs (without bones)
- 2 quarts veal jus (see recipe)
- 2-3 bottles Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
Portion short ribs into squares (4x4 inches). Reserve the trimmings. Reduce braising stock by one-third, pour red wine jus on short ribs. Cover with foil and braise for 30 minutes at 225 degree.
Serves 10
For the Veal Jus
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 pounds veal bones
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 onions, peeled and chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 5 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 gallon cold water
In a large stock pot, heat the vegetable oil and sauté the onions, carrots and celery for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the roasted veal bones and cold water. Lower the heat and simmer for 3 hours. Frequently skim the fat and impurities from the top. Strain through a cheesecloth-lined strainer into another sauce pot, and simmer until reduced to 1 quart. Keep refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 6 months.
Makes 1 quart
For the Croquette:
- Kobe beef trimmings
- 1 butternut squash, roasted and puréed
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 4 eggs, beaten
Serves 10 to 12
Braised Boneless Kobe Beef Short Ribs with Wild Mushroom Risotto
From Executive Chef John Caputo of Bin 36
- 1 whole Kobe beef short rib (on the bone)
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 3 stalks celery, peeled and diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 heads garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 bottle red wine
- 1 cup Port
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 quarts veal stock
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil to the smoking point, sear meat on all sides and remove. Add the mirepoix vegetables and caramelize. Deglaze with the red and Port wines and reduce by half. Add veal stock and honey and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, add short rib meat, cover and place pot in a 300 degree oven. Braise for approximately 11/2 hours or until meat falls from the bone when pierced with a fork. Remove meat from braising liquid and cool meat and liquid.
When cool, remove fat from top of sauce, cut meat into four pieces and reserve until ready to serve.
For the Risotto:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 pound assorted wild mushrooms
- 3 shallots, sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped fine
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 cups of arborio rice
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 ounces Asiago cheese
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 ounce butter
Over low heat, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add rice and toss in oil. Deglaze with white wine. Stirring continuously with a wood spoon, add chicken stock to rice one ladle at a time until each is absorbed before adding more. When rice is soft and ready to serve, approximately 20 minutes, add the mushrooms, Asiago cheese, heavy cream and butter. Season with salt and pepper.
While risotto is cooking, reduce braising liquid for short ribs while basting meat until liquid is of sauce consistency. Place risotto in center of plate with short rib meat on top and spoon sauce over them.
Serves 4
