Food
Fact-checked

At DelightedCooking, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

What is Wagyu Beef?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Wagyu beef is, generally speaking, any sort of steak or meat that comes from a Japanese steer. The word translates roughly as “Japanese cattle,” and nearly any animal that grew up in that country usually qualifies. Outside of Japan, the term has a somewhat wider meaning, as farmers and distributors commonly use it to label beef from cattle that are descended from Japanese animals, even if the connection is generations old. It is usually marketed as a very expensive gourmet item that is dense in fat, highly marbled, and very tender, but there can be a lot of variety.

Meaning Within Japan

Thinly sliced Wagyu beef.
Thinly sliced Wagyu beef.

In Japan, the “wagyu” characterization is extremely general and includes all breeds and species. The cattle that give rise to the famed Kobe beef, a particularly tender and expensive product, fall within the definition, but then again so do most other cattle, related or not, that are raised in the country. Japanese butchers rarely ever use the term to describe their cuts, generally preferring to label them by species or farm.

Perceptions Abroad

Grilled Wagyu beef.
Grilled Wagyu beef.

The term tends to have a much different meaning abroad. Particularly in the United States and Australia, two countries with extensive beef cattle industries, manufacturers often use the name to suggest something exotic, foreign, or particularly delectable. Many claim that their animals are descended from Japanese cattle, but which breeds specifically — and more importantly, how close the relation really is — are things open to wide interpretation.

In general, Wagyu beef is any sort of meat that comes from a Japanese steer.
In general, Wagyu beef is any sort of meat that comes from a Japanese steer.

Beef bearing this name often actually comes from cattle that have been extensively crossbred with many other species, most of which are American or Australian in origin. There is a lot of controversy in the food world when it comes to what wagyu beef is or should be. Nevertheless, beef labeled in this way is often able to command a very high price and is typically viewed favorably by consumers.

General Characteristics

Lower quality wagyu cuts may be ground into hamburger.
Lower quality wagyu cuts may be ground into hamburger.

People often associate Japanese beef with meat that is tender, highly marbled, and exceptional in taste. Most butchers “grade,” or rate, meat based on the ratio of muscle to fat, something that is often described in terms of “marbling.” A slice of meat that is mostly red is not very marbled, whereas one with rich streaks of white fat is. Though these fat ribbons often add calories, they also make for a much softer, more tender meal. Many of the cuts sold under the wagyu name are extensively marbled, which lends an almost buttery taste to the meat when it is cooked.

Relationship to Kobe Beef

Wagyu beef contains monounsaturated fat, which is the same type of fat found in avocados.
Wagyu beef contains monounsaturated fat, which is the same type of fat found in avocados.

Many international beef distributors draw connections between their wagyu products and Kobe beef, a famed style of tender meat that is grown exclusively in the city of Kobe, Japan. Japanese butchers tend to be very discriminating when applying the Kobe name, and usually reserve it for animals in the Tajima species that live almost exclusively in the Hyogo prefecture. The name is more loosely used abroad. Many butchers sell “Australian Kobe Beef,” for instance, or market “American Kobe steaks.”

In some cases, imitation or domestic versions are remarkably similar to the Japanese originals, but this is not always the case. Many countries, including the United States, have rules about how descriptions like “wagyu” can be used, but there is a lot of room for interpretation under most systems. As a result, some beef bearing this label is very closely related to the finer breeds of Japanese cattle that give rise to tender steaks like Kobe, but others have more in common with other domestic offerings. In some cases, the higher price may be the only distinguishing characteristic.

Common Preparations

Cooks usually take a light touch with highly marbled meat, often cooking it as little as possible so that it can retain its flavor, juices, and texture. This sort of beef can be a good candidate for steak tartare, a dish in which the meat is served raw in the center; it is commonly also quickly seared to caramelize the outside while leaving the moist interior only barely cooked.

Most restaurants sell it in steak form, and this is how it is usually found in specialty stores and butchers’ shops, too. As with most meat products, though, there are many different options and preparations. There are a multitude of different steak cuts to start, and some parts of the animal are more tender and desirable than others. Lower-quality cuts are often turned into hamburger meat or sausage. Sometimes these products also carry the wagyu name, but not always.

Where to Find It

Japanese-style beef tends to be extraordinarily expensive, and as such, it is not often found in regular markets or grocery stores. Many farms sell it by special order only, either through specialty butcher shops or via mail or Internet sales. Gourmet stores can often supply it to customers, too, and it is frequently available in high-end restaurants around the world.

Fat Content and Concerns

Many manufacturers claim that this beef, though higher in fat than most other varieties, contains predominantly monosaturated fats, which some health experts claim can actually be somewhat helpful. These are the sorts of fats found in tree nuts, olive oil, and avocados, among other foods, and some research has shown that they might be able to lower cholesterol and improve overall health when consumed in limited quantities. Many purebred Japanese cattle do tend to have more monosaturated fat than other species, but how this passes on through crossbreeding is not always very well known. Whether or not a piece of meat labeled “wagyu” has these characteristics usually has more to do with its makeup than its name.

Just because a fat is helpful does not mean that it is actually healthy, though. Eating a diet rich in fats and oils can contribute to a range of different problems and ailments. Most medical experts recommend that people limit their consumption of red meat, particularly cuts with very dense marbling, to no more than one or two meals a week.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent DelightedCooking contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent DelightedCooking contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

anon277282

Wagyu beef online is great as long as it is from a reputable retailer. You would be very surprised on how many miles most meat travels before it gets to the consumer.

anon271221

@googlefanz: Online beef is generally vacuum sealed and shipped frozen in EPS foam coolers. The beef will stay frozen for up to 3 days during transit. If longer transit times are expected, the use of dry ice may be necessary. If the beef arrives partially defrosted, there is no reason for concern. Just put the beef in the freezer to re-freeze or in the refrigerator if you plan to cook it in the near future.

sumontkg

Also, most are generally not pure Wagyu anymore,

The cheap stuff may not be, but there are plenty of breeders - at least here in Australia - that can trace bloodlines back as far as you want. In fact, they're not allowed to export the steaks to Japan branded as Wagyu unless they can prove this heritage.

I just ate an export-grade wagyu steak not more than 10 minutes ago, and it was worth whatever we paid for it (my wife won't tell me).

anon132060

I was told by a wagyu beef retailer that this beef has monounsaturated fat like in olive oil and nuts and avocados. is this true? I can't believe it.

anon121086

Did you know that the McLeod Eco Farm on French Island are raising Wagyu Beef? Did you know that the McLeod Eco farm will have a retail outlet for the sale of Wagyu Beef in the coming year 2011?

googlefanz

Has anybody ever bought Wagyu beef online?

I see all these advertisements but can't imagine how they ship it to you without it getting gross.

Does anybody know?

StreamFinder

Most of the Wagyu beef in the world today is raised either in the United States or in Australia.

Also, most are generally not pure Wagyu anymore, they've been cross-bred with Angus and other varieties of cattle to make for less fatty steaks, or for genetically better cattle.

The most expensive beef however, still comes from those cows that are descended from Japanese Wagyu beef cows, and have the purest bloodline.

FirstViolin

Did you know that when raising the best Wagyu beef, usually in Kobe, the owners will go all out to take care of the cattle?

Some people say they even feed them on a diet of high quality grain, oftentimes accompanied by a beer!

They are also treated to massages, and daily brushings.

In order to be true Wagyu Kobe beef, the cattle also have to be castrated, in order to ensure that the beef is pure.

surreallife

For a deluxe burger try using Wagyu beef for an out of this world experience.

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • Thinly sliced Wagyu beef.
      By: kentoh
      Thinly sliced Wagyu beef.
    • Grilled Wagyu beef.
      By: Joe Gough
      Grilled Wagyu beef.
    • In general, Wagyu beef is any sort of meat that comes from a Japanese steer.
      By: Tim Aßmann
      In general, Wagyu beef is any sort of meat that comes from a Japanese steer.
    • Lower quality wagyu cuts may be ground into hamburger.
      By: pilipphoto
      Lower quality wagyu cuts may be ground into hamburger.
    • Wagyu beef contains monounsaturated fat, which is the same type of fat found in avocados.
      By: Giuseppe Porzani
      Wagyu beef contains monounsaturated fat, which is the same type of fat found in avocados.