At Fine Food Specialist, we pride ourselves on our extensive selection of Japanese Wagyu beef. Wagyu breeds of cow originate from Japan, and are now bred around the world for their superior quality meat and high intramuscular fat content. Wagyu beef is some of the finest in the world, and we are proud to sell Wagyu that has been raised in Japan.
What part of Japan does Fine Food Specialist Japanese Wagyu come from?
Fine Food Specialist Wagyu beef is from the Gunma prefecture of Japan.
What is Japanese Wagyu beef?
There are four breeds of Wagyu beef:
Japanese Black or Kuroge Washu
Japanese Brown or Akage Washu or Akaushi
Japanese Polled or Mukaku Washu
Japanese Shorthorn or Nihon Tankaku Washu
The predominant breed is Japanese Black or Kuroge Washu, which accounts for 90% of all the beef produced in Japan.
There are different grades of Wagyu beef, according to the amount of intramuscular fat, known as marbing, that is present throughout the meat.
What are the different grades of Japanese Wagyu beef?
The grade of Japanese Wagyu is defined by a letter and a number. Letters range from A-C (with A being the highest quality) and numbers from 1-5 (with 5 being the highest quality).
These numbers are in turn based around the Beef Marbling Score, commonly abbreviated to BMS. The BMS scale ranges from 1-12, and it is the higher end of the scale that refers to the most fat marbling content. An A5 piece of Japanese Wagyu beef would therefore be in the 8-12 range on the BMS scale.
The meat is also judged by colour, with darker meat considered better quality than lighter meat.
The colour of the fat in Japanese Wagyu beef is also important, with slightly ‘yellower’ fat considered more desirable than ‘whiter’ fat. The Wagyu fat colour scale ranges from 1-7, with 7 being the most sought after.
Finally, the firmness of the beef is also important. Japanese Wagyu beef should be firm, yet tender.
How is Japanese Wagyu beef produced?
Japanese Wagyu beef is produced to meticulous specifications that have been honed over generations of cattle farmers.
All Wagyu cattle are raised by special Wagyu breeders until they are around 10 months old, when they are sold to new specialist breeders, who are provided with a certification indicating their prestige status.
The pampered lifestyle of the Wagyu cow is legendary. The cows are named and allowed to graze and roam in large pastures with only a few other carefully selected cows. The cows are allowed to mature naturally, and never forced to eat more or fed any hormones or other growth stimulants. It’s important that the diet of Wagyu cattle is as natural as possible.
It’s very important that the cows’ muscles do not become tense, as this is thought to affect the quality of the final product, so the cows are allowed a leisurely lifestyle, which of course, also allows them to build up that famous marbling.
Why is Japanese Wagyu beef so popular?
If you’ve read this far, then it’s easy to see why Japanese Wagyu beef is so popular! The pampered lifestyle of the cows leads to superior meat with a high quantity of intramuscular fat, known as marbling. When the meat cooks, this fat melts into the beef, keeping it incredibly succulent but also adding a lot of amazing flavour. Fat means flavour, and no fat is better than the fat in a piece of Wagyu beef. It also means that a little goes a long way, so although Wagyu beef is more expensive than other cuts, it also feeds more people thanks to its richness of flavour.
Our top recommendations for Japanese Wagyu Beef Cuts
We sell a wide range of Japanese Wagyu Beef at Fine Food Specialist, so make sure to have a good look to choose the right cut for your dish.
From popular steaks such as Japanese Wagyu rib eye and Japanese Wagyu sirloin, to lesser known cuts including Japanese Wagyu rib cap, picanha and specialist yakiniku barbecue cuts, you are sure to find what you are looking for in our selection.
Recipe ideas for Japanese Wagyu beef from Drogo’s Kitchen
Japanese Wagyu Sirloin with a Mushroom Salad
Wagyu Sirloin and Pomegranate Salad
Wagyu and Crunchy Veg Roll Canapes
Wagyu Sirloin Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Explore our site now...
Take a look at our full range of wagyu and let us know your favourites! If you try out any of our ingredients or recipes please do tag us on social media! We love to see what you create.
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