Kobe Beef

Kobe beef is perhaps the most famous — and most misrepresented — beef in the world. True Kobe beef must meet all of the following criteria:

1. Breed: Must be purebred Tajima-gyu (a strain of Japanese Black) cattle 2. Birth: Must be born in Hyogo Prefecture 3. Raised: Must be raised in Hyogo Prefecture 4. Slaughtered: Must be processed at approved slaughterhouses in Kobe, Nishinomiya, Sanda, Kakogawa, or Himeji 5. Grade: Must achieve a BMS of 6 or higher and a quality grade of 4 or 5 6. Yield: Carcass weight must be 470 kg or less (for steers) or 230-470 kg (for heifers/cows)

The Kobe Beef Marketing & Distribution Promotion Association strictly controls the designation. Each certified Kobe beef carcass receives a 10-digit ID number and a chrysanthemum-shaped stamp.

Here's what most people don't know: Only about 3,000-5,000 head of cattle qualify as Kobe beef annually. That's the entire global supply. Of that, only a small fraction is exported. When Japan reopened beef exports to the U.S. in 2012, Kobe beef was among the last to receive export approval.

If you see "Kobe beef" on a restaurant menu in the U.S. — especially as burgers, sliders, or hot dogs — it is almost certainly not authentic Kobe beef. The Kobe Beef Association maintains a list of authorized retailers and restaurants on their website. As of my last check, there are fewer than 50 authorized establishments in the entire United States.

The flavor of authentic Kobe beef is distinctive — Tajima cattle tend to produce finer, more delicate marbling with a sweet, almost floral quality. It's different from the bolder marbling you'll find in Miyazaki or Kagoshima Wagyu. Whether you prefer Kobe to other top-tier Wagyu is a matter of taste — but the experience of eating the real thing is unforgettable.