First Time Trying Wagyu? These Tips Ensure You Get The Real Deal
Hailing from Japan, Wagyu beef has become renowned among meat lovers worldwide for its tender buttery texture and, most importantly, deliciously marbled fat that gives it its signature "melt-in-your-mouth" taste that is unlike any other. And as with anything with prestige and commands a premium price, there will surely be fakes that will try to rob you of the authentic Wagyu experience. Thankfully, when it comes to Wagyu, it is easier to tell if you are getting exactly what you are paying for. So, whether you just want a quick bite of Wagyu beef don or are craving something more extravagant, here are several handy tips to ensure you'll always be served genuine Wagyu beef.
A quick refresher on what real Wagyu beef looks like
Learning to tell apart real and fake Wagyu starts with knowing what bona fide Wagyu looks like. For starters, Wagyu beef has a more pinkish shade, unlike the iron-red hue of the regular beef cuts. Second, Wagyu is most well-known for its distinctive fat distribution. This appears as intricate patterns of fat layers interspersed like thin white webs or veins between the red meat, more commonly referred to as "marbling", given its likeness to the metamorphic rock, marble.
Looking at the marbling is one of the most reliable ways of knowing if you have real Wagyu beef on your hands since its unique fat and meat striations are next to impossible to replicate. Therefore, you should look elsewhere if you don't see this telltale marbling pattern. But apart from this unmistakable visual indicator, there are also other ways to further verify Wagyu beef's authenticity.
3 tips to verify Wagyu beef
1. Determine the grade
The Japanese Meat Grading Association's strict grading system determines the grade of every piece of authentic Japanese Wagyu beef. Each cut essentially gets a combined score that stems from its yield grade of A to C and meat quality grade of 1 to 5, with A and 5 being the highest scores, respectively.
Yield grade determines the ratio of meat compared to carcass weight, while meat quality grade is the total of the scores given to each of the following categories: marbling, meat colour, quality of fat, firmness, and texture. If any category gets a grade of less than five, the entire rank goes down to this lower level. This explains why A5 is the highest grade of Wagyu beef since they are exceptional cuts that have achieved a 5 in every category.
2. Ask to see a certificate or statue
Regardless of where the Wagyu comes from, genuine Wagyu beef will come with a Certificate of Authenticity containing important information regarding the beef's source along with its official grade from the relevant governing authority, such as the Japanese Meat Grading Association for Japanese Wagyu or U.S Department of Agriculture for American Wagyu. For Kobe beef specifically, this proof of authenticity may instead come in the form of a statue that showcases that the restaurant is indeed serving authentic Kobe beef.
3. Check the details
Japanese Wagyu is exclusively sourced from four breeds of Japanese cattle: Akaushi (Brown), Kuroge (Black), Japanese Polled, and Japanese Shorthorn. Checking these details and the ID numbers and nose prints of the cattle from which a cut of Wagyu beef comes can help further validate where your Wagyu is sourced and if it is the real thing.
Conclusion
Looking to try Wagyu and not getting what you paid for is sure to ruin anyone's dining experience. As such, by learning how to spot real Wagyu from the fake ones, you can rest assured that you're getting your money's worth as you take that first bite of mouth-meltingly savoury Wagyu beef.
At OMI Wagyu, we serve bona fide Wagyu beef sourced from the finest Australian Wagyu suppliers so you can satisfy your Wagyu cravings with peace of mind. As a renowned Melbourne Central Japanese restaurant, we take pride in our menu that provides a fresh perspective of Japanese cuisine elevated by our choice of ingredients like premium Wagyu beef, sashimi-grade salmon, and more. From hearty Donburi bowls to other exciting Japanese dishes fused with modern Asian flavours, we invite you to enjoy Wagyu to your heart's content here at OMI.