If you’ve ever seen the term “Wagyu beef” on a menu you’ve probably wondered what it means (and how the restaurant justifies the price tag). If you’ve ever tasted its tender melt-in-your-mouth goodness you know exactly why you need to try it at least once in your life.
| Channel | Publish Date | Thumbnail & View Count | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
 Business Insider | 2019-07-27 15:00:00 |  15,882,958 Views |
Why Wagyu Beef is So Expensive | So Expensive
Of course that’s not all there is to know. Wagyu beef is a gourmet meat from farms that must adhere to strict nutritional and raising standards with the highest grade A5 meeting even higher quality standards making Wagyu cuts the most sought-after on the menus of high-end restaurants. Fortunately avid home cooks don’t have to wait until a night out to indulge in Wagyu as it’s fairly easy to source and prepare at home.
To that end Chowhound spoke with Nick Solares brand ambassador for Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors. For the past 20 years Solares has been a dedicated food writer with a specialty in Wagyu beef. His passion has taken him on extensive travels throughout Japan including attending the prestigious Wagyu Olympics. Who better to tell us what Wagyu beef is why you should care about it and how to get started with it at home?
While the name may sound impressive to an English-speaking audience the name Wagyu is actually a simple translation of “Japanese cow.” According to Solares Wagyu “refers to one of four breeds which include brown (sometimes called red) and black animals with fur as well as horned and hornless cattle.” All of these breeds share one highly desirable trait: a high level of fat within the muscles also called intramuscular fat or to use the more popular culinary term marbling.
