registered in South Africa<\/a>. There are different rearing methods and ageing techniques, and a wide range of prices. The bemusing number of options can make choosing the right beef for you feel tricky, especially when some of those price tags are pretty hefty (we\u2019re talking about you, wagyu). We\u2019ll try to clear up any confusion you may have.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row admin_label=”Wagyu beef” module_id=”trends-gildas” _builder_version=”4.20.0″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”0px||0px||true|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|false” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Wagyu Beef” _builder_version=”4.24.2″ link_font=”|600|||||||” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Wagyu beef<\/h3>\n
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This type of beef has become wildly popular in recent years, with everything from lux wagyu burger bars, to artisan wagyu biltong brands popping up all over. Prices range from eyebrow-raising to bizarre, and it\u2019s hard to know whether it\u2019s all just a scam.<\/p>\n
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Wagyu translates to \u201cJapanese cow\u201d, and in fact can refer to any of four different breeds of cattle originating in Japan. These breeds are now reared all over the world, including South Africa. But in fact, only one of the four is characterised by marbling, namely the Japanese Black.<\/p>\n
Kobe beef, another confusing category, is wagyu that is reared in the Kobe precinct in Japan, and has a (generally accurate) reputation for being the best of the best. You are very unlikely to find this in South Africa without a crazy price tag, so take any menu offering Kobe beef with a big pinch of salt.<\/p>\n
Wagyu is famous for its high percentage of fat marbling throughout the meat, resulting in increased tenderness and flavour. This fat becomes liquid at around 30\u00baC, which means that at 37\u00baC it literally melts in your mouth. It also contains complex flavour compounds (apparently found in peaches and coconuts too!) that result in a uniquely sweet aroma and taste.<\/p>\n
Japanese wagyu is graded according to fat content and quality, and ranges between A1 (the best) and C5 (the worst while still being certified). These ratings are not part of our South African certification system, however.<\/p>\n
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