Kobe beef is indeed expensive and quite hard to find.  No wonder it is a legendary delicacy.  It is very distinct for its intensive white marbling of fat and rich buttery taste.  Well, it is also distinct for its price which could range between 100 and 300 dollars per pound!

 Now, you may be wondering what’s so special about this meat and why it is so costly.  Let’s start with the basics.  The meat we call Kobe actually comes from the wagyu breed of cattle from Kobe, Japan (thus the name).  However, this breed of cattle has also been raised in the US and other parts of the world to meet the demands better so it is now often called wagyu beef or kobe-style.  The cattle breed which produces this meat is predisposed genetically to create intense marbling.  It also has the highest unsaturated fat among all the breeds of cattle in the whole world.

 Now, after knowing about its origin, how does wagyu meat taste like?

Actually, when it’s cooked the wrong way, it would taste lousy and bland.  People who tried cooking it at home for the first time often ended up with a disappointing flavorless meal.  However, if you cook it right, then you are surely up for a sumptuous, velvety, and even sweet tasting meal which lingers in the mouth for quite sometime. If you plan to cook wagyu at home, make sure that you use preheated cast iron on open flames.  It’s ideal to cook it this way.

The wagyu cattle which originated in Kobe Japan are the source of the very famous and delicious wagyu beef.  Costing more than 100 bucks a pound, something truly special must be going on with the source of this beef right? 

 So, how would you react if you knew that the wagyu cattle drink beer? 

 Beer?  Yes, you got that right. Beer.  These cattle drink your favorite beverage too, and they like it alright.  However, before you imagine cows in the middle of the farm on a drinking binge, stop your wild imagining right there.  There is actually a logical reason why beer is fed to them. 

 Basically, the beer works as an appetizer for the cows.  During the summer when their own fat cover, humidity, and temperature interact, the appetite of these animals gets depressed.  They don’t seem to find any pleasure eating, and when they eat, they don’t eat as much as they have to in order to produce high-quality meat.  When they are fed with beer, their appetite significantly improves.  Now, whether it’s the alcohol getting into their head that’s making them eat more or what remains a mystery.  One thing for sure though, beer plays a part in making Kobe beef what it is—ridiculously delicious.

 Another thing that may pique your interest is this:  these Kobe cattle get some massage too!  Massaging is performed to release their muscle stiffness as well as relieve their stress.  Their raisers believe that calm and content cattle produce premium quality meat.  Interesting, you say?