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If you want to experience one of the best meats, you should certainly consider Kobe beef. This is considered a delicacy, which is renowned for its well-marbled textured, tenderness and supreme flavour. The Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association has outlined a set of rules that must be followed in order for a cow to be labelled Kobe beef. They also promote the Kobe trademark. This beef comes from the Tajima strain of wagyu cattle and is raised in Hyogo Prefecture in Japan.
Some of the standards that have been outlined by the organisation include that the Tajima cattle must be born and farm fed in Hyogo Prefecture. The gross weight of beef from one animal must be 470 kg or less. The meat must achieve a quality score of four or five, whilst BMS, which is the marbling ratio, must be a level six or higher.
You may be shocked to discover that the cattle enjoy massages and beer. The former is done in order to help with muscle stiffness and relieve stress. Experts believe that ensuring the cattle is content and calm has a positive impact on the quality of the meat. Moreover, beer is part of a management program to ensure the cattle are on feed during the hot summer months, as it stimulates appetite. The warm weather depresses feed intake, which is why beer is used to counter this. There is such much that goes into farming for meat like this. Extensive machinery is needed, and you can read more here on that, as well as some unique methods, as we’ve discussed – massages and beer, who would have thought it?
There are many benefits associated with eating Kobe beef, with the main advantage, of course, being the taste. Most people immediately notice the difference in quality when they take their first bite of Kobe beef. This meat is succulent, tender and superior flavour. It will melt in your mouth. Nonetheless, there are other benefits you should be aware of too, including…
- Iron – This is an essential mineral that the body needs to make haemoglobin, this is the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen to your tissues. Kobe beef is a rich source of iron, providing about ten per cent of the recommended daily dosage.
- Good Fat – Kobe beef is a source of good fat. One of the reasons for this is because grass feeding is a significant part of raising the cattle. The ratio of good fat, i.e. mono-unsaturated fat, to bad fat is higher in Wagyu than in any other kind of beef. Even the saturated fat content is largely stearic acid, meaning it has hardly any influence on raising cholesterol levels.
- Protein – This meat is also a great source of protein; an average serving will provide approximately 22 grams. This has many important functions, such as building and repairing tissues.
