Dec 27, 2012

Now You Can Get Kobe Steaks Online



The best restaurants in the world will try to tell you that the food they prepare is the best there is.  They will present you with fancy dishes that include exotic ingredients on the plate.  They will try to dazzle you with unique cooking techniques.  The food that these restaurants produce can be very tasty, but for many people the best meal that they can have involves a much simpler menu.  If you put a well-cooked steak and potato in front of someone, you will usually be greeted with a smile.  Most people appreciate the flavor that comes from a perfectly prepared steak.  Restaurants that want to take their steaks to the highest level can turn to Kobe steaks.

Kobe beef comes from the Wagyu cattle that are raised in Kobe of Japan.  The cattle are fed a special grass diet.  They are given massages and the amount of exercise they get is limited.  This causes the cattle to build less muscle and to have more fat than other cattle.  The extra fat creates a marbling effect that enhances the flavor of the steaks.  It costs more to raise the cattle in this way and that makes the price of Kobe beef much higher than other traditional steaks.  It is also very difficult to find real Kobe beef outside of Japan.  If taking a trip to Japan for a steak dinner is not an option, you might want to see what the online retailers have to offer.

It takes time and patience to find real Kobe beef online.  The retailers on the Internet offer what they call Kobe style steaks for sale online.  Due to the laws and restrictions it is not easy to export the real Kobe beef outside of Japan.  Instead, the same type of cattle is raised in other countries.  The methods for raising the cattle are the same outside of Japan as it is in Japan.  These cattle cannot be called true Kobe beef and instead go by the name of Wagyu steaks or Kobe style steaks.  When you buy these steaks online you are still getting a premium steak that has the great taste that you are looking for.

Online shopping for steaks may not be something that people are used to, but it is a great way to get a high quality steak at a price that you can afford.  Instead of taking yourself to Japan for a great steak, you can get the same thing delivered to your front door.

Dec 11, 2012

The Different Grades of Beef Steaks





Beef steak is perhaps one of the most popular dishes that people enjoy eating. However, it is important that you know the different grades of beef and choose the right grade of beef for your steaks, especially when there are many companies offering premium steaks online and in the stores.

The beef steak’s grade tells you whether it is of good quality or not and allows you to buy the best possible grade of meat that you can afford. There are three kinds of grades of beef which assess the beef’s quality and are mostly identified by the amount of fat that can be seen streaking through the muscle tissue, which is referred to as marbling. These three are prime beef, choice beef and select beef.

Prime Beef: Steak classified under this rank is perhaps the highest rated meat across the United States. Beef that has a lot of marbling means that it has a lot of flavor too. However, it is not the only factor that affects its flavor. Factors like feed quality, the meat’s aging and the fine texture also adds to it. This kind of meat is often served in fine dining restaurants and specialty meat markets. You will not see this kind of meat just by going to a regular fast food or dining stall. However, there are some websites offering prime steaks online and it is now convenient to get prime beef.

Choice Beef: USDA choice is perhaps the next best thing after USDA prime beef. Though it has less marbling than prime, it has enough for it to have more flavor than select beef.

Select Beef: This meat has the least marbling on it which makes it a bit leaner than the aforementioned beef grades. Since it has less marbling, it may not be as tender and juicy as compared to choice beef and prime beef. If you plan on cooking a high-quality steak then your best choice would be the prime beef rather than the select beef. You will often find this kind of select beef being sold in the local meat market near you.

If possible, buy meat having the best grade that you can afford. If you are unable to purchase a USDA prime beef, then go for the next best one which is USDA choice beef. Furthermore, look for steaks that are firm to the touch as well as those having a fine texture. Good quality meat is also recognized by its’ light reddish color as opposed to a deep red color. And the most important aspect that you should check in a beef is its marbling. Remember, more marbling means that the beef’s flavor is better.