Wagyu Beef and Kobe Beef: A Short Tutorial

In my announcing post for my current giveaway sponsored by Beecher’s Handmade Cheese and Mishima Reserve Wagyu Beef, I mentioned enjoying Kobe beef in Japan in 1970. After that post, I researched Wagyu Beef and Kobe Beef to discover the difference. I thought I’d share what I learned. (And why the steaks in this giveaway are not your ordinary Choice beef or even Prime beef.)

Enter this special giveaway at Instagram @cheesemonger 1950. Giveaway includes 2 Mishima Reserve Wagyu steaks, ‘Cheese and Theo Chocolate Collection,  Two Beecher’s Side Dishes (Roasted Potatoes and Street Corn) and a $25 gift card to the winner’s local bottle shop for a bottle of bubbly.

In the 1800s, several breeds of European cattle were introduced into Japan and crossbred with native Japanese breeds. The four strains that resulted dominate the Japanese beef trade today.**

Wagyu means “Japanese Cow” and refers to four specific breeds of Japanese cows: Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Polled and Japanese Shorthorn. These four breeds share genetic privileges that include a natural web of intramuscular fat (marbling), that delivers a superior tenderness and rich, creamy flavor. Wagyu beef must come from one of these four breeds (or a mix).*

Kobe beef is Wagyu beef from cows born, raised and slaughtered in the city of Kobe, in the Hyogo prefecture of Japan. This is similar to the PDO designation of many European cheeses, wines and other specific food stuffs.

90% or more of American Wagyu beef comes from the Japanese Black.** (No Polled or Shorthorn cattle are bred outside Japan.***)

The first Wagyu cattle were imported from Japan to the US in 1976; two black bulls and two red bulls. No more were imported until the early 1990s. In 1997 Japan declared Wagyu breed a living national treasure and placed a ban on exports. Less than 200 Wagyu beef had been imported into the US during these years.***

Ironically, until 2003, most of the American Wagyu beef was exported back to Japan. This was the year Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Mad Cow Disease) was discovered which halted imports and exports of beef between the US and Japan (and other countries). And that opened the American market to this exquisite beef.***

As of 2018, there were about 30,000 Wagyu-influenced cattle in the US, due to crossbreeding and fewer than 5,000 100% full blood Wagyu. Full-blooded is defined as Wagyu cattle that maintains an unadulterated bloodline, with absolutely no crossbreeding in its genetics and is directly traceable back to Japanese ancestry. The rest are known as “percentage” Wagyu.***

In the US, our beef grading system is defined by the USDA. The three main grades are Select, Choice and Prime. Wagyu is graded as “Prime” but has 2 to 5 times the marbling of prime.*** And as to US grades vs. Wagyu, all I can say is once you’ve had Wagyu… there’s just no going back…

Most Wagyu beef in the US is 50% pure Wagyu and from cross-bred cattle.***

Mishima Reserve Wagyu beef comes from the  Kuroge Washu or Japanese Black genetic line and can be traced back to its Japanese ancestral cattle. Only a small number of American Cattle Ranchers are a part of the Mishima Reserve family.

* https://www.steaksandgame.com/the-difference-between-wagyu-and-kobe-beef-15656

** https://www.mychicagosteak.com/steak-university/wagyu-kobe-beef-difference

*** https://blogs.lonemountainwagyu.com/a-history-of-wagyu-beef-infographic

A selection of Beecher’s Cheeses, Wagyu Beef, Kurt’s Foodbooks, and Theo Chocolate can be found at my Amazon Influencer store front.

Enter this special giveaway at Instagram @cheesemonger 1950. Giveaway includes 2 Mishima Reserve Wagyu steaks, ‘Cheese and Theo Chocolate Collection,  Two Beecher’s Side Dishes (Roasted Potatoes and Street Corn) and a $25 gift card to the winner’s local bottle shop for a bottle of bubbly.

In addition to being a member of the Internationale Guilde des Fromagers (Jura and Garde) and an American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional, I am a Certified ServSafe Food Production Manager with certifications that also include ServSafe Certified Instructor and Proctor. I am available for cheese events, cheese program development, cheese training, food safety training and 3rd party food safety auditing. See my About Me and Resume pages for more details or call me at 360 921 9908 to discuss availability.

The Man’s third nonfiction book is available in my on amazon influencer store: “Identifying Real Time Travelers”. In his own words: “Identifying Real Time Travelers is not a novel. It is a nonfiction study of our history to prove Time Manipulators exist for reasons of their own and are, even now, affecting our Past, Present and Future. If Time Manipulation has been invented either in our past or our future, then because of the inventor’s new ability, through time, time travel will have always existed on Earth. This book seeks to answer these questions: Can time travel exist and if so how and why have the Time Manipulators

chosen to affect us?”

It’s a fascinating read and you can buy it for your Kindle, Fire tablet or free Kindle reader for only $3.99. Of course, we hope you’ll buy it, enjoy it and leave a 5-star review on amazon.

In addition to Identifying Real Time Travelers, The Man has two other non-fiction book: Coroner’s Cold Case 81128: Marilyn Monroe and The JFK Conspiracies. Both available for purchase or you can borrow them through the amazon kindle unlimited library. His action adventure, Gold Fever is also available.

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