Has anyone ever dined on Waygu beef?

[cmcgoun]

Just wondering if anyone has ever eaten Waygu beef (Kobe) before?
I was thinking about getting a few steaks and was wondering if it is worth the price! Tell me what you think about it!

 

[Judy]

There is an "American kobe beef," don't know what it's called, but I don't believe the true kobe is available here.

 

[cmcgoun]

Yes, so I have heard. I read that it is still pretty good though, and it is as expensive as the real stuff!

 

[wombat]

I've had the real thing in Tokyo. It was frightfully expensive (yeah for someone else's expense acount!). It was good, no doubt about it, but you can also get high quality, well-marbled beef from a good specialty butcher and be hard pressed to tell the difference, in my opinion (admittedly, based on only having had the real Kobe beef a few times).

If you're curious, and your wallet can bear it, you might as well give it a try and satisfy your curiosity. There are both "american-kobe" and imported japanese kobe available in the US again, though for a few years there was a ban on importing japanese beef to the US due to a cattle disease scare.

I'll have to say though, my favorite steak is our "camping tradition." We get a whole high-quality tenderloin from a butcher, cut it into slices several fingers thick, and marinate it in big ziploc bags, and cook it over the campfire. Big, thick slices, seared well on the outside, rare on the inside. It's our saturday night fine dining on camping trips, and at least an annual event with a load of friends since our college days.

One of the restaurant "secrets" is to finish steaks with butter, btw ... amazing what a nice fatty chuck of butter will do for your steak

If you go Waygu, at least you'll know ol' Bessie got a massage every day before she gave it up for your dinner!

 

[cmcgoun]

Thanks for all the information Wombat! Yea, I have a hard time finding a butcher around my area that has high quality beef, maybe thats what I need to look for instead.

 

[Rolsjo]

I have never tried it, but my parents did when they went to Japan. They were very impressed with the texture and flavor.

Personally, I am happy with some local, organic, grass-fed beef. The flavor is fantastic and is a much cheaper alternative to Kobe beef.

I would check around your area for a local butcher shop, if he does processing he may be able to get you in touch with a local farmer who raises beef cattle.

I always finish my steaks with garlic-herb butter, it is delicious!

 

[2DogsFarm]

I had it in Tokyo too as the guest of friends at a very high-end restaurant.
Cooked tableside on a heated lava stone so presentation was 9/10 of the appeal.
It was good.... make that very good.

But I've had the same taste experience with a nice piece of well-marbled beef here in the US.
In fact my local grocer does an in-house seasoned BBQ steak (thin cut of porterhouse) that I absolutely love - it is my Secret Vice.

Maybe I just have plebian taste

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

We eat it fairly often. We love it. Only buy half the amount you normally would as it is incredibly rich. having been raised on a cattle ranch and very used to eating prime quality beef, I can tell you there is still a big difference. If you like grocery store beef, you probably won't like this. I don't mind the price for what you get, kind of like the taste and price of wild salmon as compared to farm raised. I cooked two cuts the other night, top sirloin (12.00 lb) for me and my husband and cross rib (6.00 lb) for the kids. The kids actually prefer the meatier flavor of the cross rib cut and you can still easily cut it with a butter knife. I recommend you try it.