Wagyu beef is the holy grail of the world of steaks. When it comes to high-end eateries, there are many different options that diners can choose from.
At El Momento, we get many customers who ask about the different kinds of beef used to make steaks.
We cover some of the major kinds of beef that go into making steak.
Popular Kinds of Beef in Pakistan
Wagyu Beef
This is probably the most famous kind of beef steak meat that you have heard of. It is native to Japan.
The meat is great, tender, has an awesome flavor and comes from Japan. The name Wagyu has become a byword for the highest end of meat and food in not just Pakistan but the whole world.
It comes from one of four different breeds of cattle.
- Kuroge Washu, or Japanese Black
- Akage Washu, or Japanese Brown
- Mukaku Washu, or Japanese Polled
- Nihon Tankaku Washu, or Japanese Shorthorn
Types of Wagyu Beef
There are five main categories of Wagyu beef:
- Olive Wagyu.
- Hokkaido
- Shinshu
- Miyazakigyu Guy
- Kagoshima.
Our favourite at El Momento is kasogshima because of the epic taste.
American Wagyu vs. Japanese Wagyu
Now, Japanese Wagyu is, of course, the beef that is out there. However, other countries have tried to replicate that same taste.
They have crosbred the Japanese cows with their own breeds to come up with new and unique kinds of meats.
Wagyu landed on American shores back in 1975. Today, these Japanese breeds are bred with Angus and other top notch American breeds.
The major difference between them is that Japanese cows are grain fed while the American ones are often grass fed.
Now, this of course does have an impact. You can tell that it tastes more like regular beef compared to the Japanese ones. As a result, American beef is also cheaper.
Australian Wagyu vs. Japanese Wagyu
Since 1990 the Aussies have been trying to get their own kind of Wagyu. They are bred with Holstein cows as opposed to ANgus ones. The feed is a mixture of both grass and grain so somewhere in the middle.
Angus Beef
The Angus breed came from Scotland back in the 1870s. This is a far more common kind of beef that is served at steakhouses in Islamabad.
Angus are bred with other strains, like Wagyu, and stand alone pure breed cows on their own merit.
Angus beef is usually very juicy, tender, and tasty, with great marbling. As an American breed, beef from Angus cows is graded using the United States Department of Agriculture grading system. This meat usually gets a Choice or a Prime grade.
Beef that belongs to the Certified Angus Beef® (CAB) brand has to meet additional requirements, has a modest or decent marbling and a medium to fine marbling level.
Kobe Beef
Kobe Beef is a very unique kind of Wagyu beef in that it deserves to be mentioned on its own. All Kobe beef is Wagyu but not all Wagyu is Kobe.
In order to be considered Kobe, it has to have a BMS score of 5 or more. Moreover, there are very strict requirements.
- Breed: Kobe beef comes only from Kuroge Washu — Japanese Black — cows.
- Bloodline: Also, along with the breed limitation, the Kobe Beef Marketing and Distribution Promotion Association needs to certify that the cows are from the Tajima-gyu bloodline.
- Location: The cow must also spend its entire life from birth to slaughter in Japan’s Hyōgo area, which is where the city of Kobe is.
These requirements result in this kind of beef being very hard to get. You cannot get your hands on this easily. The exclusion of so many different kinds of cows and meats means that only a small fraction of the cows make it to being Kobe.
At El Momento you can out in a special request for Kobe or the other kinds of beef on this list and they can be considered especially for larger orders.
However, this will need to be confirmed beforehand, as some of these meats are very hard to come by. These are not served by steakhouses in Islamabad or in other major cities of the country.
Explore:
The Best Steakhouse in F6 Islamabad
The Best Steak Cuts You Need to Try at El Momento
Conclusion
The world of steaks is not just about he part of the animal you are eating. Food is also about the breed, what they are fed and a host of other factors that come together to make the perfect steak for you.
We have looked at some of the major breeds that are popular with steak lovers. You can order these steaks at El Momento.
In case the particular cow breed’s meat is not available to its rarity we try to arrange them for you.
When it comes to fine dining in Islamabad, there is so much more than meets the eye. Head over to El Momento today to dig your teeth into the best meats in town.
