Wagyu beef is surrounded by myths and folklore, regarding how the cows are raised and what gives the meat its distinctive melt in the mouth texture. We recently had the pleasure of a seven-course degustation meal which showcased Wagyu beef for fine dining. The producers of Raging River Wagyu enlightened us about the breed and explained why the meat is so different from other breeds of beef.
It seems that some of the myths have a basis in the history of the breed. They most certainly are a pampered breed and the Japanese in years gone by have massaged their cows and fed them sake and beer, but this is not what makes the meat special. The breed itself, if raised in an optimum environment has a particularly highly marbled meat. The intense marbling fans the meat fibres through the interconnecting muscle tissue giving the meat its flavour and melt in the mouth texture.
The breed itself, if raised in an optimum environment has a particularly highly marbled meat. The intense marbling fans the meat fibres through the interconnecting muscle tissue giving the meat its flavour and melt in the mouth texture.
Wagyu Bruschetta with Caramelized Onion and Brie
Now, before we start getting too worried about the fat content of the meat I should mention that the fat is not a saturated fat as we would find in other beef but a mono-saturated fat which actually aids in cholesterol reduction.
As with any product, there are different grades of Wagyu. The grading is dependent on whether the meat is a purebred Wagyu or an Angus cross (F1). The difference in the meat will be noticed in the level of marbling in the cut of meat. The beef is graded based on the marble score.
It is a very important difference when you consider the taste and texture are directly related to the fat marbling.
Where can you try genuine Australian purebred Wagyu
Contact Raging River Wagyu for a list of suppliers and restaurants supporting our homegrown purebred Wagyu. You will be supporting a local product. Raging River is located near Port Macquarie and is one of the very few producers that sell product from a pure blood line.