The Making of Kobe Beef
Passage B: (Simplified)
Japanese beef is special because there is sashi—Japanese word for white fat—between the
layers of muscle. Because of sashi, Japanese beef looks like marbled pattern. Good marbled
pattern makes the beef expensive because it makes the meat soft as if it melts in the mouth. So
Japanese cattle farmers try to make the best beef. In most countries, beef grading is based on the
fat it has. In the US, prime beef must have 6-8% of marbled fat to meet the standard of USDA.
For the Wagyu (A5), however, good beef must have at least 25% of white fat. White fat makes
the beef soft and more delicious but high fat content is bad for your, right? Wrong. Japanese beef
is mostly monounsaturated fat that has lower ―bad‖ cholesterol. This fat also has a very low
melting point, so it seems like the beef can melt in the mouth. A steak made by top grade
Japanese beef (A5) as served in some nice restaurants in Tokyo can cost 500 dollars or more.
It is a hard work to produce good fat. Cows are not raised only for being killed, cows in
Japan live a king‘s (or emperor‘s) life. They are fed high quality grains and each farmer has their
own mixture and secret ingredients, such as soybeans and okara (a byproduct of making tofu).
Water is very important for the cattle diet, local mineral water is often used to create the best
quality product. To help the cows to eat more during the hot summer months, cows are fed beer
or sake. The cows are raised in stalls to help create fatty marbling, so they are taken outside for
leisurely walks in the afternoon to get some sun and fresh air.
Farmers also rub the cows with some sake using straw hand brush. This helps balance
the spreading of marble and it also get rid of lice and ticks. In order to keep the cows as relax as
possible, it is said that some farmers play classical music for them. Beer, massages, afternoon
strolls, mineral water, classical music…what a life!