American Wagyu and the myth of Kobe beef

As the Texas barbecue renaissance rolls on and pitmasters continue to experiment with recipes and ingredients, barbecue consumers are faced with new and sometimes unfamiliar menu items. One of the offerings you will occasionally see at a barbecue joint is “Wagyu beef.” It is usually served once a week (on the weekend, for instance), and often at a premium price. Competitive barbecue teams often use it in their submission for judging.

What does the term “Wagyu” mean? In the past few years, there has been a lot of confusion about this type of cattle and brand of beef. However, thanks to educational campaigns by the American Wagyu Association and their memberranchers who breed and market this type beef, the definition of Wagyu is becoming better understood.

We’ll start at the source — Japan. “Wagyu” is a term that refers to several breeds of Japanese beef cattle. Beef produced in Japan has gained an almost cultlike following for its intense flavor and marbling. Known in the United States as “Kobe beef,” it is a trademarked term used to market the very best of Japanese beef. Think of it as a Japanese version of the “Certified Angus Beef” label that is well-known in the U.S.

In the past few decades, the term “Kobe” has been used loosely in the U.S. as a name for things such as steaks, burgers and even basketball players (yes, Kobe Bryant is named after Kobe beef). The problem is that virtually everything labeled “Kobe beef” in the U.S. is not really Kobe beef, — that’s just a myth. It is instead “kobe-style” beef and its only connection to the real Japanese Kobe beef is that it comes from the same type of cattle — Wagyu.

So why does America have a lot of “Kobe-style” Wagyu beef and very little real Kobe Beef? It all starts in the Hyogo Prefecture of Japan (Kobe is the capital city) where the most prized Wagyu cattle are raised. The Japan-based “Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association” defines true Kobe beef as coming from this area of Japan and using only the Tajima breed of Wagyu cattle. There are other qualifications involved such as marbling and age (similar to the USDA beef grading system).

This extremely narrow definition of Kobe beef means there is very little produced, most of which is consumed in Japan. Only a few hundred pounds of real Kobe beef is imported into the U.S. every year. It is mostly sold as a special menu item in the best steakhouses, usually for hundreds of dollars an ounce.

So, as you can imagine, that “Kobe slider” you see on your neighborhood burger joint’s menu is not the real Kobe beef. Rather, it is probably made from Wagyu cattle bred and raised in the U.S.

The first Wagyu cattle were brought to the U.S. from Japan in the 1970s. More were imported in the 1990s. From those original imports, there are now tens of thousands of Wagyu cattle raised on 150 or so ranches that specialize in Wagyu.

Wagyu cattle in the U.S. are either “100% Fullblood,” meaning they are direct descendants of the original Wagyu imported here without any crossbreeding, or “Purebred” in which a small number of other breeds were crossbred in their lineage sometime in the past. “Akaushi” is one of the breeds that American Wagyu has become known for.

The USDA grades and inspects Wagyu beef as it does any other beef. For marketing purposes, it considers “Purebred Wagyu” as the minimum for carrying the Wagyu label.

Not surprisingly, Wagyu in the U.S. is known for the marbling and exceptional taste that its Japanese Kobe cousins have become famous for. In terms of marbling/grading, only about 5 percent of normal U.S. beef production from cattle such as Black Angus grades as Prime, while 90 percent of Wagyu beef grades as Prime.

So is Wagyu the “best” beef you can get in the U.S.? Probably. But an argument can be made that the best beef from traditionally American breeds like Black Angus is comparable to Wagyu (and less expensive). Wagyu undoubtedly has more marbling due to its genetics, and for many people, more marbling means more flavor.

So you will occasionally see “Wagyu brisket” or “Wagyu beef ribs” on barbecue-joint menus in Texas. It will probably be more expensive than the usual prime or choice grades of brisket used on a daily basis. It’s definitely worth trying and deciding for yourself if the extra cost is worth it. After all, arguing about the best dishes, ingredients and techniques is a Texas barbecue tradition. As with everything associated with barbecue, personal preference and taste often are the deciding factor.

Killen’s in Pearland is known for having Wagyu on the menu. jcreid@jcreidtx.com twitter.com/@jcreidtx