American Wagyu is one of the most unique and high quality meats on the market. The beef is known for its amazing marbling, flavor profile, and smooth texture. It is a delicacy in the culinary world but it is important to ensure you are getting the real thing.
Knowing what questions to ask potential American Wagyu beef suppliers is essential to ensure you are getting the highest quality cuts.
Let’s do a quick rundown of what American Wagyu beef is and what restaurant owners should look for when buying from a supplier.
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The story of American Wagyu
American Wagyu dated back to the late 1970s when Japanese Wagyu cattle were introduced to the United States. American ranchers created a distinct beef of their own by combining Japanese Wagyu cow genetics with American Cattle. The cross breeding created American Wagyu cattle.
Flavor profile and look
American Wagyu is known for its extremely tender and buttery texture. The beef gets its exceptional flavor from its pristine marbling. A perfectly marbled cut of American Wagyu beef has delicate veins of fat throughout the meat. Every bite is exceptionally juicy and tender.
Setting good standards
American Wagyu beef is gaining prominence and popularity and with it increased popularity comes increased discussion about the best standards for grading the beef. Strong and consistent standards are an important tool to maintain the publics’ confidence in the quality of American Wagyu beef.
Organizations such as the American Wagyu Association have been essential in creating robust genetic standards when determining the authenticity of a cut of American Wagyu beef. Only buy American Wagyu beef that meets these standards.
Picking high-quality American Wagyu beef
Restaurant owners know that quality is everything. If the food you cook isn’t good, then nothing else matters. A restaurant invests a lot of money into high-quality beef, and if you are going to work with an American Wagyu beef supplier, you want to ensure the product you are buying is of the highest quality.
You should always buy from a reputable supplier. This means building relationships and doing market research on the suppliers out there. Good suppliers will provide you with proper documents on genetics, certification, and grading of the American Wagyu beef they sell you. Don’t work with suppliers that don’t provide this information.
Inspect the Wagyu Meat you are looking to purchase. Ask for samples so you can taste test the quality and inspect the marbling. It is also important to look at things such as packaging.
Packaging is more than just the way you transport meat. It is one of the most important steps in in preserving freshness, quality, and flavor. Don’t work with suppliers that don’t vacuum seal and temperature control their product unless you are buying same day fresh cut beef.
Vacuum sealing and temperature control help maintain the meats integrity from supplier to your kitchen. Ask a supplier about their packaging procedures before agreeing to work with them. A supplier with good packaging practices will prevent your meat from spoilage and keep your American Wagyu beef in premium condition.
I also recommend staying up to date on industry procedures and trends happening in the American Wagyu industry. Attend workshops, farming expos, and seminars on American Wagyu. Establish relationships with ranchers, suppliers, and other experts in the field who can help you expand your knowledge of American Wagyu beef.
Lastly you want to work with a supplier that meets the needs of your restaurant. Different cuts at different quality grades are better for certain dishes.
For example a high end steak house looking to dry-age a ribeye needs to work with a supplier that can give them a less trimmed cut of beef. However, someone looking cook a steak on the grill might want a more clean trimmed steak.
Serving American Wagyu beef at your restaurant will be a huge boon to your restaurant as the style of beef continues to grow in popularity. Knowing the standards and history behind American Wagyu Beef will help your restaurant provide its customers with the highest quality product and keep them coming back for more.
Michael Stalter is the Founder of Terra Market in Scottsdale, Arizona. Terra Market is a family owned business specializing in bringing American Wagyu and Wagyu beef from their farm to your table.
