CUTTING EDGE

Australian wagyu and a visit to Naughty Nuri’s

A flair for the avantgarde in watchmaking

BEHIND BLACKMORE WAGYU

Wagyu is the kind of beef you don’t mince and clobber into a burger patty, and Blackmore is the farm that cultivates the award winning meats in Australia. Its founder’s son Ben Blackmore tells us more.

How organic are your cattle?

We do not use genetic modification, preferring to focus on a natural product that’s free of hormonal supplements and antibiotics. But we do use a special secret feed ration to create that rich flavour.

What goes on in the farm?

Our 25 wagyu cows have plenty of space to roam on a five-acre paddock. They are raised on a regimen of eco-feeding, which includes husbandry, product integrity, animal welfare and maintaining a healthy, sustainable environment. Farm water for example is filtered through natural vegetation and manure is used to fertilise the irrigation pastures.

How do you achieve the ideal meat to fat ratio?

We aim for an Ausmeat score of nine and nine plus. We monitor and manage every stage of the cow’s life.

How do you keep air-flown beef fresh?

Everything is vacuum-sealed at the time of production and air-freighted directly to Culina, on Dempsey Hill.

MEAT DOWN UNDER When David Blackmore and Japanese wagyu breeders shook on it, Blackmore was given the opportunity to secure an exclusive pool of pure wagyu genes for his own farm. That was back in 1992. Today, he has achieved a 100 per cent pure-blood...