WHAT IS WAGYU
HISTORY
The word Wagyu stands for Japanese (WA) Cow (Gyu). Some of the main regions that Wagyu originate from are Gunma, Iwate, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, and Tajima Prefectures in Japan. A5 is the highest meat grade in Japan, and is the most delectable, coveted beef in the world. It is immediately recognizable by its exceptional marbling. In 2017, one cattle from Kagoshima took 3rd prize at the “Wagyu Olympics” in Japan. Intensely satisfying in small portions, one must taste this beef to really speak to the mouthwatering, buttery flavor with extreme tenderness and smooth texture.
HISTORY
The word Wagyu stands for Japanese (WA) Cow (Gyu). Some of the main regions that Wagyu originate from are Gunma, Iwate, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, and Tajima Prefectures in Japan. A5 is the highest meat grade in Japan, and is the most delectable, coveted beef in the world. It is immediately recognizable by its exceptional marbling. In 2017, one cattle from Kagoshima took 3rd prize at the “Wagyu Olympics” in Japan. Intensely satisfying in small portions, one must taste this beef to really speak to the mouthwatering, buttery flavor with extreme tenderness and smooth texture.
GRADING
GRADING
The Wagyu grading system is originally from Japan but has been adapted to national beef gradings for better categorization. The Japanese Beef Marbling Score is the most common tool for quality on the Japanese meat quality grading scale. It measures the percentage of fat within the muscle, and analyses the firmness and texture, color, and the marbling. In the United States, the Wagyu is graded on the USDA grading scale. The table on the right shows a compassions between the two gradings and how this translates for US beef.
Increasing Quality
100% FULLBLOOD
In the United States, the highest quality raised Wagyu is called 100% Fullblood. This means, that the cows can be 100% be tracked back to an original Japanese herd. There is therefore not crossbreeding between American Angus and Wagyu cows. At Authentic Wagyu, our cattle come from the Tajima bloodlines which are raised on our Washington Pasture. This is why Authentic Wagyu’s 100% Fullblood cattle produce superior meat compared to traditional American Wagyu and Angus Beef, in both appearance and taste.