7 Interesting Facts About Wagyu That Will Make You Want One Now
Are you a meat lover or even a die-hard fan of steaks? If the answer is yes, you must have been familiar with this number one quality beef, Wagyu! Wagyu is the most expensive beef in the world (It can cost up to 36,000 yen per kg!) but once you taste it, you will agree that it’s worth every penny you pay for it. So what makes this beef different from any other beef? Check these 7 incredible facts to reveal the secret behind its melt-in-your-mouth texture and heavy marbling.
1. The meaning behind “Wagyu”
The first syllable “Wa” in Wagyu means Japan, while the second syllable “Gyu” means cow. That brought the name of Wagyu which literally means as a beef from Japanese cattle. Wagyu cattle itself is a type of black Japanese cow that handled with excellent care and breeds in a traditional farm. One of the main features that distinguish Wagyu from other beef is its white marbling texture as shown in the picture below *jaw drops*
2. Cows are treated like a king
The farmers of Wagyu cattle in Japan take farming to a whole new level. To get a perfect quality of Wagyu beef, this black cattle is treated like a real king. First, the farm is specially situated in a cool mountainous terrain and far from any crowds to create a stress-free environment for the cows. The temperature inside the cage is always well-watched to avoid any extreme heat or cold changes. These cattle are treated like a king as they are caressed, listened to classical music, and even being given an acupuncture and relaxation massage by the farmer. We know you probably quite envy these cows now.
Credit to Joseph Decuis on Youtube
3. Wagyu probably eats healthier than most of us
You don’t feed these cattle with hay like you would normally do with other cows. You have to feed them with green grasses, and a lot of vegetables and fruits. To add more nutrition, these cattle are also given extra vitamin and calcium. These cows are probably even healthier than most of us *cry*.
Credit to PastureprimeWagyu
4. Normal Wagyu drinks alcohol!
The special treatment does not stop there, these Wagyu cattle are being fed with sake (the famous Japanese beer)! Feeding them with beer will increase their appetites, and thus will also increase their levels of marbling fat. These extensive care and treatments make Wagyu beef a prima donna among meat lovers. But worry not as the Halal wagyu are not fed with beer or alcohol, but they taste as delicious the original one *phew*
Credit to Luciesfarm
5. Wagyu beef are full of nutrients
Not only famous for the taste, Wagyu beef is also known with its high nutrient. It contains fatty acid known as Shimofuri that are rich in Omega-3 which has the good cholesterol and is healthy for our heart. Besides that, it also contains 30% higher unsaturated fat than normal beef. This high level of unsaturated fat gives the exceptional savoury flavour to Wagyu beef.
Credit to Jpninfo
6. Wagyu quality grading system
To make sure the quality of Wagyu beef, the beef is graded by the Japan Meat Grading Association. The grading system is based on two things: yield grade and quality grade. Yield grade is a ratio of meat to the total weight of carcass. Yield grade is given from A-C with A for the best ratio of more than 72% meat per carcass. While quality grade is scored based on 4 criteria; marbling, meat colour, texture, and fat colour. The quality grading is classified from 1-5 points, with 5 for the best quality of meat. Thus, if you find an A5 Wagyu beef, that is the best quality of beef you could ever get.
Credit to japanese-beef
Besides yield and quality grading system, you will also find Beef Marbling System in the classification of Wagyu beef. This grading system specifically looks at the beef marbling, with 1 for the lowest marbling score and 12 for the highest marbling score.
Credit to insights.looloo
7. Japan finally starts offering Halal Wagyu to Muslims customers
We know just how much you want to try this Wagyu beef on your next trip to Japan. But is there any Halal Wagyu in Japan? It is definitely not easy to find one. Wagyu cattle is fed with sake to increase their appetite, it makes Wagyu beef contains alcohol which is not safe to be consumed by Muslim.
But need not to worry, there are several slaughtering houses that supply Halal Wagyu to Halal restaurants across Japan. Among them is Zenkai Meat slaughterhouse in Kumamoto that earned Halal certification from Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) in the year 2014. While normal Wagyu cattle is fed with sake to increase their appetite, Zenkai Meat slaughterhouse replaces this alcoholic drink with mineral water. You can also check out Tatsuya Co that provides the best of Halal Kobe Beef and their beef are even available on Amazon!
Credit to Subur Arta Utama on Youtube
So after knowing all these wonderful facts about Wagyu beef, did we tempt you enough to try out this Wagyu? Check our website to find out restaurants across Japan that serve Halal Wagyu beef! You can also find one in Halal Navi app and check the reviews from other users who have been to that restaurants to decide which one to go to!
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