WAGYU STEAK

Together we picked out new frames for the boyfriend's new glasses.  That's always a challenge, especially now that our optometrist no longer allows patients to take sample frames home, because of Covid.  The gal who assisted was most helpful, and it was she who found the pair he ended up ordering.  

While we were doing that, Cuddy went down the hall to stay with Bob and Sharon.  Gotta share a picture of him laying on his new little blanket and pillow that Sharon made special for little Fuddy Duddy Cuddy Buddy.  

Cuddy is Loved 

Picked up our online order at the grocery store.  Man alive, the prices are going skyward.  The boyfriend's interest is piqued weekly by the meat ads, and this week's Valentine's specials about knocked him off his recliner......

Wagyu Filets 8 oz. cut is specially priced one cent less than $50 for 8-oz.  That's $100 per pound on sale.  Wagyu sells for as high as $200 per pound.  Our first question is.....who buys this expensive steak in this part of the country?  Obviously, there are those who do or the stores wouldn't offer it.

This gets my curiosity fired up, so did a bit of research.  First, "Wagyu" means "Japanese Cow," referring to four unique breeds of purebred cattle.  This classification was established in 1944.  Cross-breeding with other cattle varieties is prohibited.  These four breeds emerged by cross-breeding with cattle mostly from Europe in the late 1800s and early 1900s. 

Regulations are incredibly strict to ensure the quality of the beef is consistently excellent.  There's a grading and tracking system used to monitor Wagyu cattle.  Each cow is identified with a nose print and a unique 10-digit Cattle ID number that can be used to research date of birth, lineage, farm and other details.

 

The highest grade of Japanese Wagyu beef is A5 (A highest to C lowest and 5 highest to 1 lowest).  The grading is determined by marbling, meat color and brightness, firmness and texture, and the color, luster and quality of fat.

After learning about the grading scale, I notice our local restaurant listed their Wagyu 8 oz. Valentine's Special as 100% full blood, with no mention of the grade.  

Bottom line, be sure to ask about the grade of Wagyu offered at a restaurant.   If they don't know, well, that's a concern and one can politely decline to order such an expensive steak without knowing its assigned grade.  For me, it would be a fun way to play into, and with, the spendy and self-indulgent lifestyle.