Kobe Beef at Tony's
The breed of beef that Kobe Japan is famous for is the Wagyu - which is being raised now in the USA under closely regulated quality assurance programs. The Kobe / Wagyu beef in the USA is tailored more for the American consumer - younger animals producing a more tender meat with lower fat levels - a product far better recieved by the American consumer. |
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A Special Beef for Special Meals
In Japan, Kobe beef is most often used like sashimi, cooked in Shabu-Shabu, or dishes like sukiyaki; not the traditional way we serve great beef here in the USA - but try a steak simply grilled and you are in for a treat! Note: Kobe beef does not respond the same on the grill - too high of a heat will make it tough. Grill more like you would chicken - searing a short time to get nice grill marks, then finishing over low heat, or indirect heat. This protects the beef's natural tender-juiciness.
Kobe's
Wagyu cattle are now raised in limited
numbers here in America, and under very
strict quality guidelines.
We're
proud to offer the best local beef, and
American Kobe
Beef at Tony's Markets - and we
grind our own patties with whole chucks
and rounds, we never use pre-ground meat. |
Top Of The Grading Charts
Japan has tracked genetic lines of Wagyu cattle for more than 30 years, and developed a grading system that's much more precise where eating quality is concerned. That system includes evaluation for meat color, fat color, marbling scores from 1-12, and meat texture. In the United States, all fed beef is graded by the USDA into 3 categories ... Select, Choice, and Prime.
KBA™ uses the USDA scale AND the Japanese scale to ensure the most consistent eating product in the world. Super-Prime from KBA™ scores between a 5 and 8 on the Japanese scale while normal USDA prime cuts will range from 3+ to 4. This is literally "melt in you mouth tenderness" with unmatched flavor that can only be described as "wonderful". The ambiance and mystique are nearly as important in the eating experience as the flavor, juiciness. and tenderness.
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Kobe History
Cattle were first introduced into Japan in the 2nd century to provide power for the cultivation of rice. Because of the rugged terrain, migration was slow and restricted. Cattle tended to be isolated in small areas and each area had essentially a closed population. Closed By Order Of The Shogun
From 1635 to 1868, the cow herd in Japan was officially closed by mandate of the Shogun. And except for a short period during the Meiji Restoration in the late 1800's the national herd has remained closed to this day. |
Geographic Isolation Results In The World's Most Sought-After Beef
Japan's rugged terrain created isolated pockets in which different breeding and feeding techniques were used. This resulted in distinctly different characteristics which, over the years, led to cattle from the Kobe region becoming a standard for the world in terms of flavor and tenderness. Since then, two decades of research and development have resulted in an eating experience unequaled by any domestically produced beef today. Every bite bespeaks a quality that, until now, was unavailable in this country at an affordable price. With KBA™, everything has changed.Kobe Beef America™, Inc. produces unusually high quality beef in strictly Iimited amounts. We guarantee the quality of every serving to the ultimate consumer, and as a result, distribution is on a very selective basis.
The Science Behind Kobe Beef America
It's fairly easy to make claims about flavor and tenderness because in most cases, those qualities are very subjective. But Kobe Beef America™, Inc., working in conjunction with the food scientists at Washington State University, has compiled quantifiable data to back up the claims.
In research conducted at the University it was learned that on comparable grade basis, where overall palatability, flavor, and tenderness were the main criteria, the American Wagyu out performed all other breeds on a consistent basis.
Shear Testing And Laboratory Trained Test Panels
Tenderness was quantified by using a highly sensitive coring machine to measure shear resistance.
For flavor and palatability, a laboratory - trained taste panel was used in addition to a consumer panel. The findings of these groups confirmed the hypothesis of the food scientists. American Wagyu was judged superior in overall palatability. It also stood "head and shoulders" above the others when the combined characteristics of flavor, tenderness and palatability were considered.
Kobe Beef: Fact & Fiction
The lore surrounding Kobe Beef has long been a source of fascination. Stories of massages with sake and diets based on beer have circulated for years. Some of the stories are true ... some are merely legends which have taken on a life of their own.
Is it true that Kobe Beef in Japanare fed on beer and massaged to make them tender?
Well, both things take place, but not for the reasons we've been led to believe. Beer is fed to the cattle during summer months when the interaction of fat cover, temperature and humidity depresses feed intake. Beer seems to stimulate their appetite. It's merely part of the overall management program designed to keep the cattle on feed in the heat of the summer. The massaging is done to relieve stress and muscle stiffness. It's believed that the eating quality of the meat is affected positively by keeping the cattle calm and content. |
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Why do they brush the cattle with sake?
Brushing cattle with sake is another practice which creates great interest. Some producers in Japan believe that haircoat and softness of skin are related to meat quality. It's believed brushing the haircoat with sake improves the appearance and softness of the animal and is therefore of economic importance.
Does Kobe Beef have religious significance in Japan?
Japanese soldiers, involved in many armed conflicts over the years, were fed beef to strengthen them for battle. When the soldiers came home from war, they brought, their appetite for beef with them. Village elders believed that consuming beef inside the house was a sacrilege, a desecration of the house, and an insult to their ancestors. Young men were forced to cook their beef outside on plow shears (this process become known as sukiyaki, which literally means plow cooking) until the Meui Restoration finally relaxed restriction against eating beef. |
