Most expensive beef in the world
Whether you crave the melt-in-your-mouth sweetness of Matsusaka beef, or the robust character of Black Angus, the world offers a diverse range of marbled masterpieces that redefine luxury dining.
Beef lovers around the globe are familiar with the extraordinary quality of the world's most expensive beef. These luxurious meats aren't just food; it's an experience. Among the most notable and sought-after varieties are Kobe beef, Matsusaka beef, and Wagyu beef, each with its unique attributes and legendary status.
Kobe Beef
Kobe beef is a renowned type of Wagyu beef from the Tajima strain of Japanese Black cattle, raised in Japan's Hyogo Prefecture. One of the reasons why Kobe beef is so highly priced is because of the unique way it is raised. For instance, the cows receive daily massages and are fed high-quality meals consisting of ground apples and other fruits. They are also fed beer. The treatment these cows receive contributes to the overall quality of the resulting beef. Its hallmark is an exquisite marbling of intramuscular fat, which contributes to its exceptional tenderness and a rich, buttery texture. Its flavour is best described as sweet and lean.
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Origin: Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
Key Characteristic: Highly marbled texture
Price: Tk24,000 to Tk60,000/ pound (approx)
Matsusaka Beef
Another contender for the title of the most expensive beef is Matsusaka beef, also from Japan. Hailing from the Matsusaka region, this beef comes from virgin female cattle, which contributes to its tenderness and flavour profile. Their diet is carefully crafted to promote exceptional marbling, with some farmers even using traditional practices like massages with sake to improve circulation and fat distribution. The result? Beef with an incredibly high-fat content that boasts a remarkably low melting point, ensuring a melt-in-your-mouth texture unlike any other.
Origin: Japan
Key Characteristic: High fat-to-meat ratio
Price: Tk23,000/ pound (approx)
Wagyu Beef
While Kobe is a specific brand, Wagyu beef is a broader term that encompasses several breeds of Japanese cattle, including Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Shorthorn, and Japanese Polled. Wagyu beef, known for its intense marbling and unparalleled tenderness, includes Kobe and Matsusaka as its premium varieties but also consists of other highly prized beef such as Omi and Hida.
Wagyu beef refers to several breeds of cattle genetically predisposed to intense marbling; a higher percentage of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids than typical beef.
Country of Origin: Japan
Key Characteristic: Intense marbling
Price: Tk 24,000/ pound (approx)
Charolais Beef
Originating from France, Charolais beef is prized for its lean meat and is known for its distinct taste and tenderness, coming from one of the oldest French breeds. Charolais cattle are one of the world's finest beef cattle. They produce excellent quality beef and often are used to improve the herds of other cattle breeds. They are large-framed animals, long-bodied, heavily muscled and late-maturing.
Origin: France
Key Characteristics: Lean meat
Price: 1500 Tk per pound (approx)
Black Angus Beef
Black Angus beef, renowned for its exceptional marbling, tenderness, and rich flavours, stands as one of the most sought-after beef varieties in the United States. This breed's abundant marbling, or intramuscular fat, imparts a buttery, succulent flavour and ensures the meat remains remarkably tender. These superior qualities frequently earn Black Angus beef the highest ratings on the USDA Beef Quality Grades scale, consistently achieving Prime or Choice status. These two grades represent the pinnacle of beef quality, attesting to the premium nature of Black Angus beef.
Breed: Angus
Key Characteristics: Fine marbling
Price: 2400 Tk to 3000 Tk / pound (approx)
